The Glenn Beck Program

Episode: Justin Barclay filling in for Glenn – Trump Dollar Coin?
Date: December 31, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special New Year’s Eve episode, Justin Barclay sits in for Glenn Beck and guides listeners through a whirlwind of political scandals, media shakeups, and noteworthy developments from President Trump's second term. The show zooms in on escalating fraud scandals in Minnesota's daycare system, the influence of alternative media, major economic reforms, historic coin minting, and predictions for 2026 as America nears its 250th anniversary. Key guests include U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, investigative journalists, and state politicians embroiled in the Minnesota crisis.

Key Themes & Segments

1. Minnesota Daycare Fraud Scandal

(Starting at 01:45, main coverage from 03:37–22:30, 65:03–80:29)

• Summary:
  An explosive fraud scandal involving Minnesota's childcare system dominated, implicating Somali-run shell organizations and triggering a freeze in federal funds. The Trump administration, along with RFK Jr. (now HHS Secretary), has launched investigations and policy changes nationwide.

• Key Points:

  • Investigative Journalism’s Role – Nick Shirley, an independent journalist, exposed widespread fraud, leading to White House attention and federal intervention ([06:17], [11:36]).
  • White House Response:
    • “People will be in handcuffs.” – White House Spokesperson ([09:39])
    • HHS and RFK Jr.: $185M childcare payments to Minnesota frozen; new national rules requiring justification for payments ([13:01], [17:58]).
    • Broader Impact: Other states named (Ohio, Massachusetts, Maine); fraud considered pervasive.

• Notable Quote:

  “Can you imagine the Somali Pirate daycare? …Fake daycares. They normally send about $185 million in childcare funds to Minnesota annually. They are cutting off the payments now.” – Justin Barclay ([13:18])

• Scandal Scale:
  Speaker Lisa Demuth: “Fraud in Minnesota is at an industrial scale level...probably be about $9 billion” ([67:35])

2. Media Shifts & “You Are the Media Now”

(06:49–08:57, 26:13–33:32)

• Summary:
  The episode explores how alternative and independent journalism are overtaking legacy media, amplifying stories previously ignored or intentionally buried. The administration openly courts podcasts and digital-first outlets.

• Key Points:

  • Trump White House invites and briefs local journalists and podcasters.
  • New platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), flagged as crucial conduits for the unfiltered truth.
  • Harsh criticism of Politico reporter Josh Gerstein for a tweet perceived as threatening toward those exposing daycare fraud.

• Notable Quotes:

  “Everything has changed. What Elon said: You are the media now. Big, big difference.” – Justin Barclay ([08:57])

  “Journalists are stupid but think they are smart.” – James Dixon ([30:07])

3. Election Integrity—Bloated Voter Rolls

(36:14–39:20)

• Summary:
  James Dixon analyzes Michigan’s ballooning voter rolls, linking it to the ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center) system and highlighting concerns about new, potentially ineligible voters swelling the lists just before elections.

• Key Points:

  • Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State, sent 700,000+ postcards to “eligible but unregistered” persons; mismatch between adult population and registered voters.
  • The ERIC system branded as making voter rolls less—not more—accurate.

• Notable Quote:

  “What are the chances that 10% of the voting population was found on the eve of the election, just not registered? Pretty much none.” – James Dixon ([38:57])

4. Economic Updates: Booming Stats & the Trump Dollar Coin

(42:33–58:52)

• Summary:
  U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach joins to discuss economic wins in 2025 and preview 2026 moves: tax reform, job growth, and the historic “Trump Dollar Coin”—the first ever legal tender coin featuring a living president.

• Key Points:

  • Economic Markers:
    • Gas prices at 5-year lows; GDP at 4.3%.
    • Major tax cuts: “No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security…” – IRS Commissioner ([47:46])
    • Construction and manufacturing booms reported; jobs returning to the U.S.
    • Consumers to receive record tax refunds due to unchanged withholdings ([50:04]).
  • Coinage History:
    • The last U.S. penny minted and auctioned for $16.7 million ([52:59]).
    • Upcoming Trump Dollar Coin: To enter circulation in 10 weeks.
    • Effort to introduce a $250 bill for the nation's 250th birthday (pending legislation).

• Notable Quotes:

  “He wants you, your kids and your grandkids to be able to pursue the American dream. And he also realizes…government does not create jobs, the private sector does.” – Brandon Beach ([58:52])

5. Calls for Accountability in Minnesota

(65:03–80:29)

• Summary:
  Speaker of the Minnesota House Lisa Demuth (GOP) discusses her formal criminal complaint against Governor Tim Walz, linking his administration to systemic fraud and demanding his resignation. The issue is framed as both a fiscal and electoral crisis.

• Key Points:

  • Demuth: Fraud rampant in not only daycare but also education, transportation, and housing services—“It is not new, but it has exploded over the last seven years, specifically under the administration of Governor Walz.” ([66:38])
  • HHS now mandates stricter controls and stops funds until audits are complete.
  • Demuth: “Every dollar that goes out in fraud means that that dollar did not make its way to the people that need it the most…” ([69:03])

6. National Expansion of Fraud Scandal

(80:29–84:35)

• Summary:
  The program breaks news of similar fraudulent daycare shell companies in Ohio, noting over 40 new centers opened in Columbus, receiving $14 million in one year.

• Key Point:

  • “It's not just Minnesota. You’re going to find it everywhere.” – Justin Barclay ([80:29])

7. U.S. 250th Anniversary & Looking Ahead to 2026

(83:20– end)

• Summary:
  Justin invites audience predictions for the nation’s quarter-millennium year, touching on concerns about electoral fallout, the possibility of more fraud revelations, and hopes for bold reform.

• Listener Predictions:

  • Democrats may recapture the House amid economic frustration ([101:35]).
  • Nationwide exposure of Medicaid and other systemic fraud ([108:41], [118:26]).
  • Hope for a reunion between Trump and Elon Musk, and a newfound civility in politics ([119:59]).
  • Calls for not just draining but “flushing” the swamp ([121:00]).

• Host’s Closing Note:

  “We're closing that chapter on another year and today we're looking forward for renewed hope. …the 250th birthday of this nation…calls us to celebrate how far we've come and yet dream even bigger about where we're going.” – Justin Barclay ([121:40])

Notable Quotes (by Segment & Timestamp)

• “People will be in handcuffs.” – White House Spokesperson on MN fraud ([09:39])
• “Everything has changed. What Elon said: You are the media now.” – Justin Barclay ([08:57])
• “Journalists are stupid but think they are smart.” – James Dixon ([30:07])
• “Fraud in Minnesota is at an industrial scale level…” – Speaker Lisa Demuth ([67:35])
• "He wants you, your kids and your grandkids to be able to pursue the American dream." – Brandon Beach ([58:52])
• “Fraud, not just in Minnesota, but systemic fraud across the country...will be exposed on a nationwide level.” – John Justice, Twin Cities NewsTalk ([109:17])
• “Don’t just drain it, flush the swamp.” – Caller Steven, Florida ([121:13])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start (MM:SS) | End (MM:SS) | |-------------------------------------------------|--------------|-------------| | MN Daycare Fraud Scandal | 03:37 | 22:30 | | Influence of New/Alternative Media | 06:49 | 08:57 | | Politico’s Josh Gerstein Controversy | 26:13 | 33:32 | | MI Bloated Voter Rolls | 36:14 | 39:20 | | Economic Review & Trump Dollar Coin | 42:33 | 58:52 | | Speaker Lisa Demuth on MN Fraud/Resignation | 65:03 | 80:29 | | Fraud Scandal Expansion: Ohio | 80:29 | 84:35 | | Listener Predictions & U.S. 250th Anniversary | 101:35 | End |

Tone & Style

The tone throughout is energetic, urgent, and combative—typical of The Glenn Beck Program. Barclay celebrates “alternative media,” expresses distrust of legacy structures, and maintains a stance of vigilant optimism tinged with frustration (“Don’t just drain it, flush the swamp!”). He frames listeners as part of a larger movement, closes with calls for hope, reform, and robust national celebration in 2026.

For more, visit JustinBarclay.com or glennbeck.com.