The Glenn Beck Program — Best of the Program | Guests: Peter Schweizer & Claire Abernathy

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck
Guests: Peter Schweizer, Claire Abernathy

Episode Overview

In this episode, Glenn Beck brings a mix of sharp commentary, investigative insight, and poignant personal stories to the table. The key themes include a candid look at American standards for health and fitness, concerns about Chinese influence in the United States—especially relating to student exchanges and land purchases near military bases—and a deeply personal interview with Claire Abernathy on the realities and regrets of adolescent medical transition.

1. Presidential Fitness Standards: A Lighthearted Yet Sobering Reflection

[04:02–17:02]

Key Points

• Beck’s DNA Test Story: Glenn humorously discusses a DNA test that allegedly told him he had the genetics of an elite athlete—something he finds laughable.
  • “You have the abilities and agility and everything else of an elite athlete. And I'm like, there's not a chance!” — Glenn Beck [04:17]
• JFK’s Presidential Fitness Test:
  • Beck and co-host Stu outline the daunting standards once required for American high schoolers, including 34 pull-ups, 52 bar dips, 50 handstand push-ups, a 5-mile man carry, and a six-minute float in deep water with limbs tied.
  • Both marvel at how far current American youth have fallen from these standards, noting that even the lowest bar set by the test would be out of reach for most.
  • “What kind of Al Qaeda PE class was this?” — Glenn Beck [12:24]
  • “If I'm a firefighter, count on burning in the house... because I can't carry you out.” — Glenn Beck [11:30]
• Cultural Commentary:
  • The discussion pivots to the difference between historical and current attitudes towards physical failure, embarrassment, and the lowering of expectations.
  • Stu jokes about faking injuries to avoid such grueling tests, evoking sports theatrics like LeBron James’ infamous flops [16:37].

Notable Quotes

• “You should have made it a little clearer when I first started to do stuff. And I think that's fair... your honor, your God, you should have made it a little more clear.” — Glenn Beck [05:26]
• “We should have the average person Olympics. I really do. I would watch that every time.” — Glenn Beck [14:34]

2. China’s Growing Influence in the U.S. — Interview with Peter Schweizer

[19:29–28:29]

Key Points

• 600,000 Chinese Students in the U.S.:
  • Beck presses Schweizer on why former President Trump is permitting this influx. Schweizer explains it is a diplomatic bargaining chip, but warns it’s deeply risky.
  • Chinese students are politically and financially vetted by the CCP. 90%+ study hard sciences, useful for espionage and technology transfer.
  • “These students… are functionaries of the Chinese government. And if they fail to fall in line or do what they’re asked, damage can come to their family...”—Peter Schweizer [19:50]
  • Chinese students reportedly assist with money laundering for fentanyl operations and mobilize for political action in the U.S.
• Lopsided ‘Exchanges’: Far more Chinese come to the U.S. than Americans study in China—the ‘exchange’ is effectively one-way [20:35].
• Espionage and Illicit Activity: Recent events include Chinese scientists attempting to smuggle dangerous substances.
• Land Purchases Near Military Bases:
  • Schweizer’s new research reveals every sampled U.S. military base has adjacent land owned by Chinese interests [24:23].
  • Legislative responses are weak; California Governor Newsom vetoed a bipartisan bill to ban hostile foreign governments (not individuals) from buying land, potentially due to his ties with local vineyard interests.
  • “It’s a massive problem...The notion that we can’t even limit the Chinese government from buying real estate... is patently absurd.” — Peter Schweizer [27:13]
• Drones and Security Threats:
  • Beck draws parallels to the Ukraine conflict, warning that proximity enables sabotage, drone attacks, or even more covert operations.
  • “That is a direct threat to our national security... you could take everything out on those military bases quickly and America wouldn’t have any time to respond.” — Glenn Beck [26:08]
• Call for Vigilance: Both stress that this isn’t theoretical; the threat is immediate and concrete.

Notable Quotes

• “The vast majority of the hardline aides around President Xi were educated in the United States... it’s not working.” — Peter Schweizer [20:28]
• “The students that come to the United States… their costs are borne by the Chinese government. So when they are here, they are functionaries of the Chinese government.” — Peter Schweizer [19:50]

3. Hard Truths of Adolescent Transition — Interview with Claire Abernathy

[28:43–42:47]

Key Points

• Personal Story:

  • Claire Abernathy began identifying as trans at 12, after sexual assault and severe bullying. Social circles and support groups reinforced her identity.
  • Medical professionals (at a leading Dallas children’s hospital) and therapists discouraged her parents from questioning the narrative, treating their skepticism as abuse [30:49].
  • “They made my parents feel like abusers for being skeptical, for wanting to take pause before, like, making irreparable changes to their child's body.” — Claire Abernathy [30:37]

• Medical Fast-Tracking & Misinformation:

  • By 14, she was on testosterone; six months later, approved for double mastectomy.
  • Doctors told her and her parents that surgery was the only effective treatment and warned of suicide if they refused [32:12].
  • Critical risks and consequences—loss of ability to breastfeed, high risk of complications, regret rates—were not disclosed.
  • “They told me...if I didn’t go through with this, the most likely outcome was suicide. That’s what they told my parents right in front of me.” — Claire Abernathy [32:36]
  • "They were required [to disclose risks], they just didn’t." — Claire Abernathy [34:13]

• Regret and Awakening:

  • Claire realized the aftermath was more complicated—persistent sadness ascribed to “post-op depression.”
  • An encounter with peer breast reduction surgery revealed alternatives had been hidden from her [35:00].
  • Even when expressing signs of regret, she protected her mother from feeling responsible:
    • "My mom found one of these padded bras, and she asked me if she had made a mistake...I lashed out at her...but it was a big deal." — Claire Abernathy [38:07]
  • Eventually, she fully acknowledged her regrets and began speaking out.

• Support for Parents and Victims:

  • Both Claire and her mother live with ongoing pain and regret. She emphasizes that parents are manipulated by experts as much as children.
  • "She did this because she loves me, and she thought...she thought she was saving my life." — Claire Abernathy [39:35]
  • Claire welcomes action by the FTC and urges the public and victims to file comments or support investigation.

Notable Quotes

• “No one [addressed the abuse]. My mom asked... and she was told in no uncertain terms, no, that does not make a child think that they're trans. That has nothing to do with it.” — Claire Abernathy [31:04]
• “There's no such thing as a trans child. And no one is born in the wrong body. You don't become your true self by cutting off pieces of yourself.” — Claire Abernathy [36:39]

4. Calls to Action

[41:17–42:47]

• Claire encourages those impacted by pediatric transition to submit testimony to the FTC, with help available from the LGB Courage Coalition.
• Glenn directs listeners to IWF.org to find more information, as well as resources to contact the FTC and share Claire’s story.

Selected Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• “What kind of Al Qaeda PE class was this?” — Glenn Beck [12:24]
• “The vast majority of the hardline aides around President Xi were educated in the United States... it’s not working.” — Peter Schweizer [20:28]
• “That is a direct threat to our national security... you could take everything out on those military bases quickly and America wouldn’t have any time to respond.” — Glenn Beck [26:08]
• “She did this because she loves me, and she thought...she thought she was saving my life.” — Claire Abernathy [39:35]
• “There's no such thing as a trans child... You don't become your true self by cutting off pieces of yourself.” — Claire Abernathy [36:39]

Important Timestamps and Sections

• Presidential Fitness (humor & culture): [04:02 – 17:02]
• China, Espionage, & Land Buys — Peter Schweizer: [19:29 – 28:29]
• Gender Transition Testimony — Claire Abernathy: [28:43 – 42:47]

Tone and Atmosphere

The episode balances Beck’s trademark wit and levity—especially in the opening fitness segment—with the gravity of pressing national security issues and intensely personal experiences with medical policy gone awry. The interviews are candid, pointed, and aim to inform as well as mobilize action.

For more information and ways to take action or learn about these issues, visit:

• iwf.org (Claire Abernathy resources, testimony to FTC)
• Government Accountability Institute (Peter Schweizer’s work)