The Glenn Beck Program — Episode Summary
Episode Overview
Title: What the Hell Is Wrong with NYC?
Guests: Eric Trump & Avi Loeb
Date: October 17, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode weaves together Glenn Beck’s signature storytelling, cultural observations, and pointed political commentary with two deep-dives: the crisis of New York City politics (in light of the mayoral race between Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, and Curtis Sliwa), and a provocative exploration of the "Three-Eye Atlas" comet/possible alien artifact with Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb. The episode closes with a discussion with Eric Trump on the Trump family’s legal and political siege and the future of American liberty.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
100th Anniversary Broadcast from Fort Wayne’s WO WO (03:10–21:50)
- Glenn opens the show from the historic WO WO radio station in Fort Wayne, Indiana, celebrating its centennial.
- He offers a moving, nostalgic tribute to local radio, outlining the importance of community-based media in preserving town identity, holding memories, and fostering trust amid national division.
- “Community isn’t something that we click on. Community is something that we build.” (16:45)
- Glenn reminisces about his early days in Fort Wayne, highlighting the intimacy and connection small towns and local voices still offer.
- “When the headlines scarred us or when hope felt small, there was always that voice humming through the night, a reminder that we’re not alone.” (12:58)
- Emphasizes a “Think Small, Dream Big” philosophy, encouraging support for local businesses and institutions.
The Economy, Gold Prices, and Global Anxiety (21:50–25:40)
- Glenn and Stu discuss the unprecedented price of gold ($4,325/oz), reading it as a stark signal of global financial unease:
- “What is it that the central bank knows that you don’t know?” (22:18)
- Central banks and the ultra-wealthy are preparing for instability—an urgent signal for ordinary Americans to pay attention and prepare.
Mercury One Humanitarian Update & Grassroots Charity (25:40–37:26)
- Glenn welcomes J.P. Decker to discuss the philanthropic work of Mercury One, especially in disaster relief and community rebuilding efforts in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Hawaii.
- Emotional stories: Families in North Carolina rescued by neighbors during floods; Mercury One’s promise to donors that “100% of every dollar raised is going to this cause.”
- The importance of local heroes and small acts of charity is highlighted, with recurring themes of hope, meaning, and serving others.
- “You’re not going to find meaning if you’re just online all the time … you’ll only find it when you’re serving.” (33:36)
- Upcoming Mercury One gala and auctions discussed; the event is less a fundraising gala and more “a night of worship, prayer, and seeing what God can do when you say, ‘Here I am, Lord, send me.’” (32:03)
NYC Mayoral Race Breakdown: “What the Hell Is Wrong with NYC?” (44:20–62:57, 87:58–106:54)
- Stu delivers a satirical but scathing overview of the three-way New York City mayoral debate between Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, and Curtis Sliwa:
- “You’re talking about two of the worst people society has ever produced, battling it out against a guy who just seems nice and wanting to help, so he has no chance to win.” (85:39)
- Mamdani: Democratic Socialist/Bolshevist, promises “free buses” and “city grocery stores,” plans to fund everything via higher taxes on the wealthy (“which actually makes it not free” — Stu, 41:24).
- Cuomo: Harshly criticized for his pandemic record (“the guy who killed your grandmother during COVID”), personal scandals, alleged corruption, yet seen as the “lesser evil.”
- “Grandma would vote for him, if grandma hadn’t been killed by him.” (94:33)
- Curtis Sliwa: Portrayed as the only decent candidate (best known for literally protecting NYers from crime), but ridiculed and ignored in the current political climate.
- Discussion laments a broken system where the one normal candidate is discounted in favor of “a communist and a killer.”
- Glenn and Stu both draw larger implications:
- NYC’s collapse would hit all Americans, since it’s a financial capital.
- The left’s media and cultural dominance, and the “insanity” of progressive politics, are accelerating decline and division.
Notable Quotes:
- Glenn: “We’re about to get what we deserve. And that’s not gonna work out well for the rest of us who are like, ‘I don’t want to deserve that.’” (88:53)
- Stu: “Mamandi’s policies might be a little worse. Remember, Cuomo’s policies are terrible, too… the only way for me to advocate for Andrew Cuomo is if I’m sick that day, that year, that lifetime.” (93:03)
Avi Loeb & the “Three-Eye Atlas”: Alien Probe, Just a Comet, or Something Else? (46:42–82:26)
[First Segment with Avi Loeb: 49:32–68:54]
- Glenn interviews Dr. Avi Loeb, Harvard astrophysicist and leading “mainstream” scientific voice for considering that ‘some interstellar objects may be alien technology.’
- The discovery of "3I Atlas": A massive, three-mile-wide object from outside the solar system, currently passing through.
- Several astronomical anomalies suggest it’s not a normal comet:
- Unprecedented Size: Much bigger than previous interstellar objects, with no expected source for so large an object to arrive so soon.
- Anomalous Trajectory: Arrives almost perfectly in the ecliptic plane of the solar system, passing close to several planets—a possible sign of “intelligent aiming.”
- Comet-Like Glow Pointed Toward the Sun: Unlike typical comet “tails,” suggesting unfamiliar physics or construction.
- Surface Chemistry: Spectral analysis shows high quantities of nickel without corresponding iron—never seen naturally except in refined nickel produced for industrial (aerospace) use.
- Potential Radio Signals: 3I Atlas is incoming from the same direction as the legendary 1977 "Wow Signal," which some believe could be a sign of extraterrestrial intelligence.
- “The only place we see nickel without iron is in industrial production of nickel alloys … there’s no other place we’ve seen it.” (72:06, Loeb)
- Discussed theories about what could be done if a large incoming object threatened earth (from paint to nuclear explosions).
- Loeb’s perspective: “Just like finding a visitor in your backyard… you need to engage in ways much more complicated than dealing with a rock.” (57:08)
- Calls for a global, coordinated data-collection and response effort for future interstellar objects.
[Second Segment with Avi Loeb: 69:16–82:26]
- Further details about nickel/iron anomaly, possible artificial origins, and the need for data transparency.
- Loeb refuses to claim certainty but maintains that science demands open-mindedness and rigorous testing: “The chance of [these anomalies] stacking up is about one in a million.”
- “Let’s just look at the evidence … and not assume that everything is rocks out there.” (82:04)
- Memorable Close: Loeb mentions upcoming appearance on Joe Rogan Podcast for “three, four hours” of deep-dive discussion.
Interview – Eric Trump: “Under Siege” and the Trump Family Ordeal (111:14–125:08)
- Eric Trump discusses his new book Under Siege, which details the legal and political attacks on the Trump family and organization.
- Glenn asks how Donald Trump maintains his legendary stamina:
- “He’s the Energizer bunny in a suit … He does not stop, he does not quit, he does not cower. He’s a worker and that’s exactly what this country needs.” (112:40)
- Eric attributes endurance to the Trump family’s DNA, focus, and “myopically” channeling energy into their mission at any given moment.
- On NYC’s future if Mamdani wins:
- “He’s promising free everything to everyone. It’s insane … The top 18,500 taxpayers in NYC pay 85% of the taxes, and guess what? They’re all gone.”
- Details the “coordinated, weaponized” legal onslaught against the Trump Organization (raids, tax leaks, social media bans, gag orders, political prosecutions, $400M in legal bills), asserting it’s not just about the Trumps but all conservatives.
- On the 2020 Election and Political Violence: Eric strongly alleges malfeasance and rigging, and warns that as the left loses narrative control, it “turns to violence.”
- When asked if Trump Organization would ever stay in an NYC run by Mamdani, Eric admits: “We’ve already moved to Florida. … I love New York, but they’ve destroyed it.”
- Future Political Ambitions? Glenn jokes about Eric Trump running for NYC Mayor, which Eric dismisses outright: “Now, please don’t give me nightmares. I love the Sunshine State.” (124:58)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Community:
“Community is more than people sharing space. It’s people sharing sound and memory and truth. It was, and remains, the heartbeat in the static.”
— Glenn Beck (18:19) - On the NYC Mayoral Debacle:
“Grandma would vote for him, if grandma hadn’t been killed by him.”
— Glenn Beck (94:33) - On the Three-Eye Atlas Discovery:
“The only place where we see nickel without iron is in industrial production of nickel alloys.”
— Avi Loeb (72:06) - On Hope and Service:
“You have to go find the meaning. You have to go do things. You’re not going to find meaning if you’re just online all the time. … The best way to serve God is by serving our fellow man.”
— Glenn Beck (33:36) - On the Trump Family's Ordeal:
“They put us under siege. They wanted to inflict harm. They wanted to see us in a jail cell, bankrupt, voiceless. … The siege wasn’t just against our family. It was against the entire conservative movement.”
— Eric Trump (119:04) - On Alien Life:
“Let’s just look at the evidence and not assume that everything is rocks out there.”
— Avi Loeb (82:04)
Important Timestamps
- WO WO Centennial & Local Radio Tribute: 03:10–21:50
- Gold Prices & Economic Anxiety: 21:50–25:40
- Mercury One & Community Service: 25:40–37:26
- NYC Mayoral Race Breakdown: 44:20–62:57, 87:58–106:54
- Avi Loeb/Three-Eye Atlas Interview: 46:42–82:26
- Nature of discovery and anomalies: 49:32–68:54
- Surface chemistry & Wow signal: 69:16–82:26
- Eric Trump Interview: 111:14–125:08
Episode Tone
- Candid, urgent, and laced with humor/satire
- Mixes heartfelt, intimate storytelling (local radio segment, Mercury One) with biting sarcasm (NYC mayoral debate), and deep curiosity (Avi Loeb discussion).
- Heavy on exasperation and warning (re: political extremism, economic warning signs, cultural collapse).
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This episode is a cross-section of Glenn Beck at his best—a blend of nostalgia, biting cultural critique, open curiosity about the unknown, and insider conservative politics. The first half is a moving defense of small-town community and local institutions. The middle third dives into the dysfunctions and dangers of contemporary urban progressive politics, using the NYC mayoral race as an exemplar—an urgent warning for the nation. The show’s second half detours into the cosmic and speculative, as Dr. Avi Loeb challenges listeners to entertain the real possibility of encountering intelligent alien life, right as Earth faces terrestrial crises. The closing section, with Eric Trump, is a firsthand account of feeling targeted and besieged by the legal and cultural left, a call-to-arms (and reflection on how to survive in a hostile environment). Throughout, the thread is one of vigilance, skepticism of media narratives, and a strong call for grassroots action and localism.
If you want meaningful engagement with American culture in crisis—from the ground-level of hometowns, the chaos of big city politics, to the perspective of the cosmos—this episode delivers an unusually rich, pointed, and thought-provoking tour.