The Glenn Beck Program

Episode: Trump Is RIGHT to Target Smithsonian Wokeness
Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck (with Stu Burguiere and Jason)
Podcast Network: Blaze Podcast Network

Overview

This episode tackles several current American sociopolitical debates, focusing on Donald Trump’s recent statements about the Smithsonian’s approach to U.S. history and “wokeness” in cultural institutions. Glenn Beck argues that Trump’s “America First” policy is misunderstood, discusses media bias regarding Trump’s comments on the Smithsonian and slavery, highlights crime and immigration concerns, and covers rising tensions with Venezuela. The show features Beck’s characteristic humor, candid commentary, and emphatic calls for balance in historical narrative.

Major Topics & Key Insights

1. Understanding “America First” (07:46–17:01, 23:02–24:54)

Discussion Points:

• Beck clarifies that “America First,” as advocated by Trump, is not isolationism but a focus on national stability and leadership on the world stage.
• Trump’s current approach involves building coalitions where U.S. allies do more heavy lifting, as opposed to America unilaterally funding foreign conflicts.
• Historical references: Obama’s broken promises of transparency and change, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, government deep state revelations.
• The importance of restoring domestic order—addressing crime, immigration, and budget—before helping other nations.
• The difference between national rejuvenation and isolation.

Notable Quotes:

• “America First doesn’t mean you don’t like immigrants… It means let’s have some order as they’re coming in.” (12:47)
• “We are the world’s lifeboat… You’re not gonna help anyone who is truly in need if we swamp the lifeboats.” (13:25)
• “Donald Trump is building a coalition and he’s leading the coalition. But it’s not our treasure and it’s not our people that are doing all the work... That’s America First.” (24:14)

2. Crime and Urban Decay: Living with Disorder (25:23–38:08)

Discussion Points:

• D.C. crime stats: Robbery, carjacking, violent crime down, but quality of life remains impacted.
• Many crimes go unreported as victims become desensitized (“You just become used to it,” 30:35).
• Beck and crew share personal stories about crime and lowered expectations in cities (e.g., subway rats, mugging anecdotes).
• The normalization of urban decay vs. small-town America’s relative safety.
• The disconnect between political elites in D.C. who make policies and average citizens affected by those policies.

Notable Quotes:

• “The grit sucks, okay? I don’t want the grit. The grit is nonsense.” (34:11, Stu)
• “You don’t dismiss the quality of life.” (38:12)

Memorable Moment:

• Glenn’s anecdote about encountering a threatening stranger in D.C. and reflecting on how such incidents affect families and children.

3. Venezuela Tensions: The Overlooked Threat (47:57–63:22)

Discussion Points:

• The U.S. has moved warships and thousands of Marines off Venezuela’s coast.
• Maduro, indicted for narco-terrorism, has mobilized over four million civilian militiamen.
• Venezuela is not only a source of drugs and gangs but serves as a staging ground for Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and Hezbollah interests.
• U.S. policy: Careful not to create a power vacuum (as in Iraq or Libya) if action is taken.
• Warnings about the proximity of foreign threats to U.S. borders.

Notable Quotes:

• “[Venezuela] is a beachhead for those people who want to see the United States taken down.” (52:19, Beck)
• “We have to stop pretending that this is somebody else's problem, because it is our problem.” (57:41)
• “Unless the people themselves rise up against Maduro, unless the people themselves do it… this is going to be a really tough one.” (59:52)

Timestamped Exchange:

• Jason: “Iranians right now with connections to Hezbollah are on an island off the coast of Venezuela… running money laundering operations, establishing paramilitary training centers, recruiting gangs.” (55:11–55:35)

4. The Smithsonian Controversy & Historical Narrative (68:39–97:22)

Discussion Points:

• Mainstream media accused Trump of saying “the Smithsonian focuses too much on how bad slavery was.”
• Beck and Stu challenge the media framing, arguing Trump wants balance, not denial: America’s history should include its failings and its unique steps toward progress and liberty.
• Beck discusses his approach to history—telling both the dark and light, emphasizing the necessity of knowing both.
• Critique of the Smithsonian’s “woke” curation: Overrepresentation of negative aspects and radical symbols (e.g., Black Power sculpture), underrepresentation of positive progress and context.

Notable Quotes:

• “If we don’t teach our kids that these dark things happened in this country… they don’t believe us on the good things.” (74:04, Beck)
• “Tell both sides of slavery. Not just the horrors, but the miracle of those who were white, who stood up and tried to stop it.” (77:53, Beck)

Memorable Moment:

• Glenn recounts visiting the Portrait Gallery: “It was the dirtiest, most filthy museum… You start to notice things like, wait a minute… why do you have a 1970s girls’ swinger bicycle with Cuban flags and stickers of Che on it?” (77:04)

5. Media Bias and Audience Manipulation (90:52–98:47, 93:31–97:22)

Discussion Points:

• The New York Times’s headline about Trump and Smithsonian is criticized as misleading.
• The erosion of trust in journalism—reporting for audience affirmation rather than truth-seeking.
• Beck argues for the necessity of audience skepticism, independent research, and fact-finding.
• How journalistic dishonesty sets the narrative and impacts public discourse.

Notable Quotes:

• “No thinking person could read that headline that we just shared with you and think, oh, well, that’s true. Unless you’re a political hack or robot.” (98:25)
• “I’m not here to feed you what you want to hear… You come here because you want to hear my opinion.” (92:13)
• “The New York Times is not expecting [research] from their audience anymore.” (95:05)

6. Teaching History: Jesse Owens vs. Black Power Activists (88:01–99:47)

Discussion Points:

• Beck contrasts the legacies of Jesse Owens (hero who proved Nazi white supremacy a lie and later became a symbol of progress) and 1968 Black Power Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos (whose names are lesser-known).
• Argues Owens’s measured, system-working approach led to more real progress than confrontational activism.
• Advocates for a holistic approach to historical storytelling in museums—presenting both the challenges and the triumphs of American society.

Notable Quotes:

• “You don’t even know their name. Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Why? I think you don’t know their name because they weren’t effective. Why? Because they were promoting Black Power. Black Panthers, black terrorism. That’s not America.” (94:50)
• “Which won in the end? Which actually furthered civil rights? The communist, Black Panther, black power guys… or Jesse Owens? Because it’s the same choice we have to make today: revolution or work within the system.” (98:48)

7. Media Rhetoric & Race (110:11–122:17)

Discussion Points:

• Beck reacts to Stephen A. Smith (Democrat) and Joy Reid (MSNBC) for their contrasting takes on race, history, and Trump.
• Beck critiques “woke” or anti-white rhetoric and the reduction of achievements to race.
• Calls out Joy Reid’s remarks on white Americans’ lack of innovation as racist and divisive.

Notable Quotes:

• “Can you imagine making that statement? Absolute racism. She’s just made it about white people, and she can get away with it now in this culture. This is not going to age well.” (111:31)
• “Having influence from other cultures is an ultimate compliment… Categorizing it that way… is just a horrible way to go through life.” (119:37–120:10, Stu)

8. U.S. Role in the World: Trump’s Approach to Russia & Ukraine (126:01–127:11)

Discussion Points:

• Trump’s role in brokering direct talks between Putin and Zelensky, moving toward possible peace.
• Emphasis on “America First” as leadership, not withdrawal, on the world stage.

Notable Quotes:

• “President Trump is the peace president, and American leadership is back on the world stage.” (126:48, Carolyn Levitt, Trump spokesperson)

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• What “America First” Means – 07:46–17:01; revisited at 23:02–24:54
• Crime and Declining Urban Quality of Life – 25:23–38:08
• Venezuela Crisis and Foreign Threats – 47:57–63:22
• Smithsonian and Media Misrepresentation of Trump’s Comments – 68:39–98:47
• Jesse Owens vs. Black Power: Telling Both Sides of History – 88:01–99:47
• Media Rhetoric and Race – 110:11–122:17
• Trump’s Ukraine/Russia Peace Efforts – 126:01–127:11

Tone & Style

• Conversational, energetic, and often irreverent.
• Mix of personal anecdotes, news commentary, historical analysis, and rhetorical sarcasm.
• Repeated calls for balanced historical narratives and skepticism toward partisan “journalism.”
• Blunt, sometimes inflammatory, but with moments of introspection about truth and responsibility to listeners.

Select Quotes (with timestamps)

• On History:
  “Tell both sides of slavery. Not just the horrors… but the miracle of those who stood up and tried to stop it.” (77:53)
• On Museums:
  “The Smithsonian is a garbage can right now, an absolute garbage can. It is taken everything and it has its own perspective.” (98:25)
• On the Media:
  “No thinking person could read that headline and think, oh, well, that’s true—unless you’re a political hack or robot.” (98:25)
• On Urban Crime:
  “The grit sucks, okay? I don’t want the grit.” (34:11, Stu)
• On American Leadership:
  “President Trump is the peace president, and American leadership is back on the world stage.” (126:48, Carolyn Levitt)

Summary

Glenn Beck’s August 20, 2025 episode is a broadside against "wokeness" in American cultural institutions—especially the Smithsonian—media manipulation, and dangerous shifts in urban crime and foreign policy. He passionately defends a balanced narrative of American history and explains "America First" as both pragmatic and globally engaged. The show combines humor, news, history, and polemic in an effort to energize listeners against what Beck sees as the dangers of “resistance journalism,” selective history, and ideological polarization.