The Glenn Beck Program

Episode: The Left Is LYING About Trump’s White House 'Demolition'

Guests: Sebastian Gorka & Charles Murray

Air Date: October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program focuses on the latest controversies surrounding changes to the White House during President Trump's administration, the hypocrisy of media outrage, the state of American culture and politics, and the left's push toward civil instability. Glenn is joined by Sebastian Gorka, discussing counterterrorism and national security, and later by Charles Murray, who shares insights from his new book, Taking Religion Seriously. The episode blends cultural commentary, pointed critique of political tactics, personal stories, and philosophical reflection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Media Outrage and White House Renovation

• Theme: Glenn dismantles the media's narrative that President Trump's White House restoration constitutes a "demolition." He provides historical context about changes to the White House by other presidents and exposes perceived double-standards.
• Historical Parallels: Beck cites previous presidents’ renovations—FDR’s East and West Wings during the Great Depression, Nancy Reagan’s privately funded White House China, and Hillary Clinton’s furniture removal—to highlight media inconsistencies.
• Core Arguments:
  • Trump’s renovations are privately funded and aimed at preservation, not self-interest.
  • The outrage is selective and politically motivated, not truly about "preservation" or history.

"What Trump is doing will not cost the American people a dime. Not a dime. Even when the press and those on the left admit that it is private funding, they say, yes, but it is a grotesque waste of money. Wait a minute. From the people that just took $294 million for billion from billionaires, Over a quarter of a billion dollars for the no Kings movement. You're lecturing me on what people should do with private funds? Please give it a rest."
— Glenn Beck (08:20)

• Case Study: Melania Trump’s restoration of the Rose Garden, aligned with Jackie Kennedy's original vision, was maligned as "desecration" while similar acts by others were praised.

"Melania went back to the original architecture and horticultural plans drawn up by Jackie Kennedy and Bunny Mellon ... and what did they say? They didn't say thank you. They printed lie after lie and turned beauty into blasphemy. Why? Because the wrong person was holding the shovel."
— Glenn Beck (16:17)

2. Hypocrisy in Media and Politics

• Glenn emphasizes how the press ignores real desecration—such as vandalism during protests—and fixates on cosmetic renovations.
• Accuses the media of fueling division, misrepresenting events for political gain, and protecting "their side."
• The political class is described as petty and opposed to restoration or beauty if undertaken by political adversaries.

"The real scandal here is not in the White House or what's being done to the White House. The real scandal is what is happening every day in the newsrooms all across America, where Truth was evicted long before the roses ever were evicted from the Rose Garden."
— Glenn Beck (20:29)

3. Interview: Sebastian Gorka on Counterterrorism (25:36–40:16)

• Role: Gorka serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and head of the NSC Counterterrorism office.
• Achievements: Over 370 leading jihadists neutralized worldwide in the past nine months.
• Inside Stories: Gorka recounts tracking and capturing "Jaffar," responsible for the Abbey Gate massacre in Kabul, within 41 days of Trump’s new term.
• Policy Shift: Returns US counterterrorism to a “trigger-pulling” approach previously restricted under Biden, emphasizing team effort and presidential leadership.

"It's the members of the intelligence community who are hunting these bad guys down and giving their locations to our tier one operators, to others in our military, who are bringing eternal justice to these evildoers and turning them into red mists."
— Sebastian Gorka (26:54)

• On Internal Threats: Outlines how border security has changed, why adversaries exploit an open border, and the new aggressive stance of the Trump administration.
• Terror Cells: There are active efforts to root out terror cells within the US, with high-level cooperation across agencies.
• Antifa and Domestic Threats: Gorka touts Antifa’s designation as a terrorist organization and vows to follow funding, stressing this is not "play acting."

"Look how historic is it that we have designated Antifa as a terrorist organization. That's not symbolic ... none of this is play acting. None of this is pablum. This is real." — Sebastian Gorka (39:24)

4. Democrat-Led ICE Agent Tracker and Culture of Death (44:12–65:30)

• Beck decries a proposal by Democratic lawmakers to publicly track ICE agents, arguing this endangers civil servants and constitutes "treason."
• Draws comparisons to putting trackers on politicians or Air Force One—something unimaginable due to security concerns.
• Warns this approach tempts civil war by pushing law enforcement to the brink and enticing the president to send in federal troops.

"You are now tracking federal civic civil servants ... This is assisting premeditated murder. I believe this is treason myself."
— Glenn Beck (55:05)

• Broader Warnings:
  • Describes trends towards a "culture of death," referencing Canada's rising euthanasia rates and violent rhetoric at leftist rallies.
  • Advocates for the West's traditional embrace of life and urges listeners to choose life and unity over radicalism.

"Let's just agree on the Bill of Rights. Let's just agree on a constitutional republic. Let's just agree. God lives. God loves us. We have to serve him. And the best way to serve him is by serving our fellow man with love and choosing life."
— Glenn Beck (61:25)

5. US Strategy Toward Venezuela (67:18–80:33)

• Discussion pivots to international politics, specifically Trump’s strategy to deter hostile regimes and drug cartels in Venezuela.
• Emphasis on projecting decisive force—military posturing, ambiguous threats—to destabilize hostile leaders (analogized to World War II’s “Project Valkyrie”).
• The underlying strategy: sow uncertainty among adversaries and encourage internal regime collapse, not necessarily direct US intervention.

"I think what he's saying here, and I think all this whole thing is saying to the General Becks of the time in Valkyrie ... I think he is trying to make everybody ... who's against the United States, who's for communism, who is in Bed with China, who are dealing drugs, I think he's sending a message. We're going to kill you."
— Glenn Beck (76:57)

6. Interview: Charles Murray – "Taking Religion Seriously" (86:34–121:57)

• Murray, previously agnostic, recounts his 30-year intellectual journey towards faith, prompted by his wife's spiritual quest and pivotal scientific readings.
• Three Core Arguments Challenged:
  1. Anthropic Principle: The universe is so precisely tuned for life, suggesting an intentional creator ("We bought a lottery ticket and won a 1 in a trillion chance ... or a force intentionally created a universe that permits life.").
  2. Consciousness Independent of Brain: Evidence from near-death experiences & terminal lucidity.
  3. Reliability of the Gospels: Recent scholarship places their composition close in time to Jesus, refuting arguments of late, unreliable authorship.
• Discusses the Resurrection, transformation of Christ’s disciples, and the compelling mystery of the Shroud of Turin.

"You need to take on seriously the degree to which the relationship between science and religion has flipped ... science has been discovering new things we never knew existed for which religion has answers that science does not."
— Charles Murray (114:33)

• Warns of the inadequacy of secular humanism as a moral foundation, stressing the need for absolute truths and moral law in society.
• Murray ends on a pessimistic note regarding society’s trajectory if it continues to forsake religious wisdom and moral absolutes.

"If there is one thing that I think we are seeing over the last 50 years, it is the degree to which sexy secular humanism does not have staying power ... the moral law helps us avoid [slippery slopes]."
— Charles Murray (120:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Media Bias in White House Renovations:
  "Every time a president dares touch the plaster or paint of the White House, the press loses its collective mind. And seemingly, unless the name is Obama ..."
  — Glenn Beck (04:10)
• On Restoring the Rose Garden:
  "Melania went back to the original architecture and horticultural plans ... She restored the Rose Garden back to its original 1962 design ... What did they say? ... They printed lie after lie and turned beauty into blasphemy."
  — Glenn Beck (16:17)
• Sebastian Gorka on Counterterrorism:
  "We have only one challenge. It's the hardest thing we do every day here, and that's keeping up with the commander in chief, President Trump."
  — Sebastian Gorka (27:21)
• Charles Murray on Faith and Scientific Inquiry:
  "Science has been discovering new things we never knew existed for which religion has answers that science does not."
  — Charles Murray (114:33)
• On Moral Law:
  "I think secular humanism is not enough to sustain the role that religion plays in supporting civil society."
  — Charles Murray (120:30)

Key Timestamps

• White House Renovation Controversy: 03:24 – 23:57
• Media Hypocrisy & Cultural Critique: 09:00 – 23:57
• Sebastian Gorka interview (Counterterrorism): 25:36 – 40:16
• Democratic ICE Tracker & Civil Discord: 44:12 – 65:30
• Venezuela, Power Projection, Project Valkyrie Analogy: 67:18 – 80:33
• Charles Murray Interview ("Taking Religion Seriously"): 86:34 – 121:57

Tone & Style

• Language: Candid, passionate, sometimes sardonic—typical of Glenn Beck.
• Style: Historical references, storytelling, personal anecdotes, philosophical depth, call to action for listeners.

For Listeners: What to Take Away

• Question media narratives, especially regarding Trump’s White House changes; historical context and factual details matter.
• The left’s outrage is often selective; look for consistency and motives in criticism.
• National security and counterterrorism operations have intensified, with more aggressive action under Trump.
• There is a real risk of cultural and political destabilization if radical rhetoric and politicization of law enforcement continue.
• Serious inquiry into religion and morality may be vital for the future of civil society.

For deeper philosophical reflections on faith and modernity, listeners are highly encouraged to read Charles Murray’s Taking Religion Seriously.

End of Summary