The Glenn Beck Program

Episode: Sec. Bessent Body-Slams Gov. Newsom with Barbie Insult
Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Glenn Beck
Podcast Network: Blaze Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode of the Glenn Beck Program dives deep into the political theater following major events at the World Economic Forum in Davos, particularly focusing on Donald Trump’s negotiation tactics, the fallout for Democrats like Governor Gavin Newsom, and the political drama unfolding in states like Minnesota and Virginia. Glenn dissects political strategies, cultural shifts, and recent headlines, interspersed with calls from listeners and memorable commentary from guests like Scott Bessent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump at Davos: The Art of Negotiation

• Glenn Beck lays out a detailed analysis of former President Donald Trump's speech and approach at Davos, highlighting his familiar negotiation strategy: praise, strength, invitation, and tough love, a pattern Beck links to both biblical persuasion (Paul on Mars Hill) and “The Art of the Deal”.

• Montages from Trump's Speech:

  • Praise & Friendship: Trump continually stresses his respect and admiration for European leaders and the people of Europe.
    • Quote: "We respect you, we like you, yada yada." (06:38)
  • Strength & Invitation: Trump touts America’s economic strength and invites Europe to participate.
    • Quote: “Our economy is booming. Growth is exploding... we are the hottest country anywhere in the world.” (06:58)
  • Tough Love: Trump lists global issues he “inherited” and resolved, then pressures allies to do their part.
    • Quote: “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should be grateful, but they're not. Canada lives because of the United States.” (11:43)
  • Red Lines: While suggesting U.S. dominance, Trump also vows restraint, emphasizing promises over threats.
    • Quote (promising not to use force): "I won’t do that... I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force." (13:56)

• Beck’s Analysis:

  • Trump masterfully shifts the Overton window—asking for much to ultimately get what he really wants.
  • He combines charm and pressure to align or unsettle international leaders.
  • Quote: “This is the greatest political and also business negotiating class I've ever seen. Because it happens over and over and over.” (14:28)

2. NATO and European Security

• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg corroborates Trump's point about U.S. power and responsibility in Arctic defense and NATO’s dependency on American action.

  • Quote: “President Trump... is right. We have to protect the Arctic against Russian and Chinese influence.” (09:46)
  • On Trump’s leverage: “The US is by far the most powerful nation on Earth... You can be happy that he is there because he has forced us in Europe to step up.” (35:22)

• Behind-the-Scenes Speculation: Beck theorizes that Trump (or his associates) privately pressured NATO’s Mark Rutte, threatening NATO withdrawal if U.S. interests in Greenland weren’t accommodated, prompting rapid consensus among European leaders.

  • Quote: “I guarantee you that's what happened... It was Mark, the Secretary General of NATO that went back to all the leaders and said, you guys are crazy, stop it.” (23:00)

3. Governor Newsom’s Davos Performance & The Bessent Slam

• Glenn and listeners criticize CA Governor Gavin Newsom for traveling to Davos to undermine Trump and lobby world leaders against him, characterizing Newsom as power-hungry and out of touch with his constituents.

  • Quote from Caller Greg: “He literally said, President Trump is like a T. Rex. You either mate with him or you get devoured... He should not have been able to go over there and actively rally people against our negotiations.” (25:39)

• Scott Bessent (Secretary of the Treasury) delivers a memorable takedown of Newsom at Davos (the “Barbie” insult):

  “Governor Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris… He is here hobnobbing with the global elite while his California citizens are still homeless. Shame on him. He is too smug, too self-absorbed, and too economically illiterate to know anything.” (27:49)

• Glenn’s Reaction:

  • Praises Bessent’s clarity and resolve, suggesting that DOJ scrutiny may spell serious trouble for California’s corrupt establishment.
  • Warns of potential upheaval in blue states as federal investigations expose massive fraud.

4. Minnesota, ICE Raids, and the 'Barabbas Trap'

• Updates on coordinated ICE raids and arrests in Minnesota (including activist Nakima Levy Armstrong), with Beck lauding aggressive DOJ action.
• NGOs and Unions (notably the Nurses Union) are calling for economic blackouts and strikes in opposition to federal law enforcement.
• Beck draws a biblical analogy (“Barabbas Trap”), warning that crowds rallying to defend corrupt or criminal actors—simply because they oppose Trump or authority—lose moral clarity, risking societal collapse.
  • Quote: “The discipline that feels boring until it saves your life is this: Judge things separately. Hold two thoughts at once without losing your mind.” (98:00)

5. Virginia and Progressive Policy Overreach

• New Virginia Democratic majorities are advancing strong progressive proposals: expanded taxes, gun control, DEI mandates, and protectionist policies for federal employees.
  • Beck rants against progressive tax policies as a form of corrosive, resentful, and ultimately divisive governance.
  • Quote: “Once you accept the principle that you don't care how honestly the dollar was earned, what you really care about is who earned it—once you accept that principle, equality under the law dies.” (54:00)

6. Supreme Court: Rights, Race, and Historical Precedents

• Beck covers current SCOTUS oral arguments on Hawaii’s restrictive gun law, scorning the state’s reliance on 19th-century “black codes” as historical justification.
  • Justice Gorsuch: “People who normally recoil from black codes—like garlic with a vampire—suddenly embrace them because it helps restrict guns…” (paraphrased, 69:00)
  • Beck argues the true issue is whether constitutional rights are innate or require explicit permission—warning against using “poison history” to undermine current freedoms.
  • Quote: “It’s about whether your rights exist before government, or only after permission is granted.” (68:15)

7. Listener Calls: California’s Policies, Chinese Pilots, and Alberta Secession

• Listeners call in to highlight issues such as California’s refinery closures, Newsom-era economic decline, and disturbing reports of Chinese pilot training at U.S. airfields.
• Discussion of Alberta independence petitions, comparing the situation to ongoing American state and local strife, with Glenn jokingly proposing a Canada-Minnesota/Alberta swap. (84:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Trump on U.S.-European Relations (06:01)

“I have tremendous respect for both the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark. ... We want Europe to be strong.” — Donald Trump

Bessent Roasts Newsom at Davos (27:49)

“Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris... He is here hobnobbing with the global elite while his California citizens are still homeless. Shame on him.”

Beck on Progressive Tax Policy (54:00)

“Once you accept the principle that you don't care how honestly the dollar was earned, what you really care about is who earned it—once you accept that principle, equality under the law dies.”

Stoltenberg on Trump’s NATO Leverage (35:22)

“The US is by far the most powerful nation on earth... you can be happy that he is there because... he has forced us in Europe to step up, to face the consequences, that we have to take care more of our own defense.”

Beck on Public Protest—The Barabbas Trap (98:00)

“Crowds are like a weather system. They move on pressure, not principles... When you make yourself unable to name evil, evil will happily borrow your body for a while. It will hide inside your crowds because crowds are the perfect cover for evil.”

Blue Lives Matter Decoy Operations (109:51)

“We're not saying we had teams comprised of hundreds of off-duty cops and veterans volunteer to run decoy operations... but if this did happen, it sure worked remarkably well in nine different states...” — Blue Lives Matter statement read by Beck

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 06:01 – 13:56 | Trump Davos speech montage: praise, strength, “tough love,” and promises | | 09:46 | NATO Sec. Gen. Stoltenberg: On U.S. leadership and Arctic defense | | 14:28 | Beck explains Trump’s negotiation — Overton Window, promises not threats | | 25:39 | Caller Greg rails against Newsom’s anti-Trump lobbying in Davos | | 27:49 | Scott Bessent “Barbie Ken” roast of Newsom at Davos | | 35:22 | Stoltenberg on Trump’s impact on European defense responsibility | | 54:00 – 66:00 | Beck’s monologue: progressive tax, founders’ warnings, and equality under law | | 68:15 – 80:00 | SCOTUS discussion: Hawaii gun law, black codes, and fundamental rights | | 98:00 – 111:45 | Minnesota, fraud, Barabbas analogy, NGO influence, protest dynamics | | 109:51 | Blue Lives Matter decoy ops reveal (read by Glenn) | | 115:52 | Beck brainstorms: Should red states recruit disillusioned MN police? | | 123:01 | Producer asks: Will anti-ICE rhetoric backfire on the left? | | 128:00 | Closing: Beck wishes Bill O’Reilly well, jokes lightheartedly about his health |

Overall Tone & Takeaways

Glenn Beck employs his signature blend of wit, urgency, and historical allusion, framing contemporary events within deeper themes of American principle, political craftsmanship, and the perils of ideological zeal. Listener calls and real-time news updates give the episode vibrancy, while the Newsom-Bessent exchange supplies a viral moment.

Best for listeners who:

• Want a behind-the-scenes sense of global and national political drama
• Enjoy political analysis that combines humor, history, and media critique
• Appreciate the blend of biblical, philosophical, and pop culture references that define Beck’s style

For more exclusive analysis, community discussion, and extended content, visit GlennBeck.com