The Glenn Beck Program – Best of the Program | Guests: Brad Meltzer & Carol Roth | January 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this thought-provoking episode, Glenn Beck delivers his signature blend of commentary on American culture and politics, diving deep into the constitutional debate over the potential use of the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. He’s joined by bestselling author Brad Meltzer, who shares behind-the-scenes details of his new thriller, and financial expert Carol Roth, who examines key economic and political trends impacting America’s future. The episode weaves together history, personal insight, and breaking news with spirited debates and fascinating storytelling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Constitutional Debate: Insurrection Act in Minnesota

Beck Delivers Dual Arguments:

• Glenn begins with a deep dive on whether the Insurrection Act should be invoked, emphasizing an apolitical, constitutional perspective.
• Presents both sides—pro and con—laying out a “Dream Team Trump” versus “Team Democrat” view and insisting on careful, unemotional analysis.

What’s Happening in Minnesota?

• Violent protests and clashes between federal agents (ICE) and local opposition.
• State leaders openly resist federal immigration enforcement; local officials appear to tacitly encourage resistance.

Beck's Perspective (21:48):

• "Once there is violent attacks on any federal agents, once the federal government cannot carry out its federal duty because the court system or the system of the police or the governor is thwarting them and actually obstructing them, then you have insurrection."

  • [21:48 Glenn Beck]

• Draws parallels to historical events like Shays’ Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion.

• Warns that hastily applying the Act could set a dangerous precedent (“once you normalize this use, you don’t get to decide who uses it next or for what purpose”).

Counter-Argument—Where’s the Line? (29:15):

• Beck questions whether the violence is true insurrection or criminal acts within functioning civil society.
• Urges making calm, sober distinctions—military intervention is only warranted when civil authority collapses.

Poll Results:

• At one point, 62% of his audience supported invoking the Act; 38% were opposed, many out of fear of further social upheaval.
  • [49:44 Carol Roth]

Audience Engagement Advice:

• Beck coaches listeners on discussing these issues civilly with others: “Listen to them first... When you can repeat their argument back, that’s when you can start making your comment.” [38:00 Glenn Beck]

2. Economic Update and Policy Implications (with Carol Roth)

Economic Good & Bad News (03:31):

• Falling unemployment and mortgage rates—"Unemployment claims unexpectedly have fallen to 198,000 ... mortgage rates have fallen to a three year low ... 6% mortgage rate, which is really good."

  • [03:31 Glenn Beck]

• Bankruptcy filings are up; generational shifts in home buying.

Job Market Shifts:

• New top jobs are in healthcare (nurses, therapists), not doctors or tech—a swing against AI-dominated roles because “the one thing that I cannot do is show personal compassion.”
  • [03:31 Glenn Beck]

Tariff Turbulence and Supreme Court:

• Tariffs at risk depending on an upcoming Supreme Court ruling; retroactive refunds could cause “mass, mass chaos.”

  • [05:27 Carol Roth]

• Glenn sees global chaos if Presidential tariff powers are stripped; Carol proposes a possible hybrid ruling, noting there are alternative avenues for implementing tariffs.

"From a foreign policy standpoint, I understand that trade has been a lever, but the strength ... is the suite of tools [Trump] has ... from helping to free hostages in Gaza to the surgical strike in Iran. I don't think a ruling on tariffs is going to undo the absolute strength that we have shown ..."
[06:57 Carol Roth]

Federal Reserve Shifts:

• Jerome Powell’s tenure ending, political skirmishing, speculation about next Chair—Kevin Warsh, with deep Wall Street ties, emerges as a potential Trump pick.

“The market Likes that.”
[13:20 Carol Roth]

Wealth Tax Fallout:

• Concerns about California’s wealth tax proposal driving out tech capital and innovation; warning that such policies spread nationally and often trickle down to the middle class.

“This is a Trojan horse ... if we have a disruption in innovation, if we have a disruption in the stock market ... these are things that don’t just impact the billionaires, it rolls out to the rest of us and hurts the country overall.”
[14:13 Carol Roth]

• Example: Ken Griffin’s exit from Chicago—city loses not just tax, but philanthropy.

3. Minnesota’s Crisis and the Insurrection Act Debate

Real-Time Tensions:

• State and local officials in Minnesota at odds with federal operations.
• Glenn spotlights rhetoric escalating towards confrontation between National Guard and federal authorities, referencing recent violence against ICE officers.

Critical Quote:

“Once you start actively engaging, that’s out the window … the federal government cannot carry out its federal duty because … the governor is thwarting them … then you have insurrection.”
[21:48-23:00 Glenn Beck]

Historical Context (Shays’ Rebellion, Whiskey Rebellion):

• Founders' writings indicate they would deploy troops only as a last resort, but not shy away from it if collapse of civil authority loomed.
• Founders feared “lawlessness dressed up as liberty” as much as tyranny.

AI & the Founders—‘George AI’ Segment:

• Beck’s custom “George AI” (pulling from authentic founding documents) concludes that the Founders’ standard was—if courts are shut down and civil government collapses, intervene; but only then. Highlights Washington’s reluctance but eventual lead in the Whiskey Rebellion.

“Their biggest fear was not a king ... it was lawlessness dressed up as liberty. And that's exactly what we’re getting today, now.”
[43:55 Glenn Beck]

4. Brad Meltzer Interview – Secrets, Disappearance, and The Viper

On The Viper:

• The third book in Meltzer’s Escape Artist series—centers on hiding secrets and disappearing in today’s world.
• The opening premise is a man with a terminal disease hides something in his funeral suit. When he’s killed before dying naturally, what’s hidden inside becomes a central mystery.

"If you secretly sew something into the lining of your suit and you hand that suit over to your local mortician, you have an ultimate untraceable hiding spot."
[50:48 Brad Meltzer]

Buried Secrets from 9/11:

• True story: Meltzer interview reveals that a 9/11 victim, before a plane crash, quickly wrote a note, swallowed it—so it would survive in their stomach for investigators to recover post-mortem.
• The note was discovered by morticians at Dover Air Force Base and delivered to authorities, but its contents remain secret.

"If you're on an airplane and the plane is about to go down and you write a quick note and then you eat that note ... the liquids in your stomach will actually preserve the note upon the crash. ... That's not an idea. It really happens. On 9/11…"
[53:33 Brad Meltzer]

On Disappearing Today:

• Witness protection and the challenges of disappearing in a digital age—hard, but possible if you forgo technology and sever personal ties entirely.
• Even with the best support, the emotional call home ruins many vanishings.

“No one—the Marshals service has never lost anyone in witness protection as long as they followed all of our rules. ... But the hardest part ... is that there is a call of home, there is a call from your past… ”
[58:48 Brad Meltzer]

Marvel & Superman/Spiderman Cross-Over:

• Meltzer announces he will be writing the next Superman/Spiderman comic for Marvel and DC’s 50th anniversary crossover, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
• Relates it back to ordinary heroism: “The most important part of the story is not Superman. The most important part of the story is Clark Kent … because we’re all Clark Kent.”
  • [61:22 Brad Meltzer]

Life Lessons & Kindness:

• Shares the story of thanking janitors in airport restrooms: “Life is like a boomerang. Sometimes you throw it out there, and then boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, it comes back to you.”
  • [64:29 Brad Meltzer]

Notable Quotes

On the Insurrection Act Debate:

• "It’s not a conservative principle. It is not a limited government principle. That is not an American first principle, that executive power is unmoored from restraint."
  • [32:24 Glenn Beck]

On Tariffs and Economic Fallout:

• “There is so much strength from this administration in other areas and other options that it won’t be as bad. Yes, it’ll be chaotic. It won’t be a good thing.”
  • [07:47 Carol Roth]

On the Dangers of Normalizing Emergency Powers:

• "Once you normalize this use, you don’t get to decide who uses it next or for what purpose."
  • [25:22 Glenn Beck]

On Civil Discourse and the Need for Respectful Debate:

• “Listen to them first. When you can repeat their argument back, that's when you can start making your comment..."
  • [38:00 Glenn Beck]

On American Innovation and Exodus from High-Tax States:

• “If this is something that is adopted … you talked about capital control … that’s because there are other states to go to. If Democrats get behind this nationally, this means this could be enacted not only nationally, but we know … it rolls down to the middle class. So this is a Trojan horse…”
  • [14:13 Carol Roth]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:31 – Economic Updates & Job Trends
• 05:27 – Tariffs, Supreme Court, and Global Market Impacts
• 06:29 – Foreign Policy Implications of Supreme Court Rulings
• 10:11 – Federal Reserve: Powell’s Exit & Warsh Speculation
• 14:13 – California Wealth Tax and Broader Economic Risks
• 21:48 – Minnesota’s Protest Crisis: Is It Insurrection?
• 25:22 – Dangers of the Insurrection Act Precedent
• 37:10 – Audience Insider Poll on Insurrection Act
• 43:55 – What the Founders Would Do: George AI Segment
• 50:48 – Brad Meltzer: The Viper and Hidden Secrets
• 53:33 – The 9/11 Hidden Note: True Story Confirmed
• 56:44 – How Hard Is It to Disappear Today?
• 61:22 – Brad Writing Superman/Spiderman Comic—Ordinary Heroism
• 64:29 – The Kindness Boomerang Story

Conclusion

This episode features a masterclass in analyzing constitutional crisis, economic volatility, and the American character—balancing historical precedent and contemporary realities. Glenn Beck’s insistent pursuit of both sides of issues and his guests' unique insights make this an essential listen for anyone following American politics, history, and cultural debate. Brad Meltzer’s segment brings warmth, storytelling magic, and a reminder of everyday heroism—leaving listeners both informed and inspired.