The Jimmy Dore Show

Episode: "Tucker Confronts JD Vance TO HIS FACE Over Charlie Kirk’s Death!"

Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Jimmy Dore

Brief Overview

This episode of The Jimmy Dore Show centers on explosive recent events in U.S. politics and media, highlighting the intense fallout from Charlie Kirk's assassination. The show dives into how Kirk’s vocal support for Israel, the pressure from donors and the Israel lobby, and internal conservative politics may have played into the tragedy. There’s a wide-ranging critique of U.S. foreign policy, Israel's influence, Trump’s political maneuvers, and the emerging police state. Additionally, the episode features notable clips and commentary from Tucker Carlson, J.D. Vance, and rabbinic figures close to Kirk, as well as a sharp satire segment lampooning Speaker Mike Johnson's loyalty to Trump.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Satirical Skit: "Mike Johnson Calls Jimmy"

[01:01–06:38]

• The episode opens with a satirical bit where Jimmy Dore voices a call from fictionalized Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, humorously portraying his obsequious loyalty to Donald Trump.

  • Johnson tries to downplay the Jeffrey Epstein files as a “hoax” and denies Trump’s connection, despite clear evidence and Trump’s well-known signature.

  • Dore ridicules this blind loyalty:

    “Donald Trump has one of the most unique and recognizable signatures in the world… How can he say that it’s not his signature when it obviously is?” — Jimmy Dore [03:35]

  • The sketch exaggerates Johnson’s sycophancy to the point of slapstick, with Dore mocking his attempts to shift blame and avoid tough questions.

2. Charlie Kirk's Death: Pressure, Loyalties, and Conservative Dissent

[06:45–17:06]

• Dore transitions to serious discussion around Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

• Reporting on Kirk:

  • New York Post and other media describe Kirk as “in a combative mood” ahead of his speaking tour, interpreted as him being ready to defend Israel on college campuses.
  • Kirk faced significant pressure from within the Israel lobby and the “America First” conservative movement to moderate his pro-Israel stance or avoid platforming anti-Israel and antisemitic voices.

• Rabbi Pesach Wolicki (friend/adviser to Kirk) describes:

  “He was very supportive… But he also had his criticisms and it really hurt him when the Jewish community came down on him for platforming certain speakers… Charlie was a big believer in the open marketplace of ideas… To a fault, I believe, in allowing every single voice to be heard.” — Rabbi Wolicki [09:21–11:44]

  • Wolicki notes that Kirk constantly fielded criticism over Israel from both public and private figures, and that the intensity was “weighing on him.”

3. Tucker Carlson Confronts J.D. Vance Over Kirk’s Legacy and Israel

[13:33–17:06]

• Jimmy highlights a striking moment: Tucker Carlson, appearing on Charlie Kirk’s show now guest-hosted by J.D. Vance (Vice President), bluntly critiques foreign leaders, particularly Benjamin Netanyahu, for appropriating Kirk’s legacy for their own narratives.

  “Now is exactly the wrong time to appropriate the memory of someone—and the emotion that comes with that… and use it for your own parochial ends… That’s disgusting, actually. Don’t do that.” — Tucker Carlson [13:33–14:30]

• Tucker emphasizes Kirk’s principled balance:
  • Loved Israel but rejected “forever wars” (e.g., against Iran).
  • Stubbornly held his ground against enormous internal pressure from donors and the Israel lobby.

  “Some of the people who send money to Turning Point, his donors, were very tough on him... he was under enormous pressure. He never bent. He kept his integrity to the very end.” — Tucker Carlson [16:39–17:06]

• Vance echoes that Kirk was a rare bridge-builder, advocating for strong borders and measured foreign policy intervention, yet “always operated in good faith.”

4. Political Intrigue: The Risks of Dissent Within the GOP

[17:06–21:24]

• Dore and co-hosts discuss Kirk’s outsized influence and speculate that his assassination “stinks”—implying sinister motives or cover-ups.
  • Refer to new reporting by Max Blumenthal and confirmation by Candace Owens about billionaire pressure on Kirk and a contentious meeting with Bill Ackman over Israel.

  “When there’s that kind of pressure being applied to someone with this influence and this machinery… this just stinks. I’m sorry… we can’t make any accusations, but it stinks.” — Dore [17:06–21:24]

5. Institutional Media, Left-Right Dynamics & Israel Lobby Power

[21:24–27:30]

• G (panelist):

  • Criticizes mainstream (liberal) media for refusing to question the systemic pressures behind Kirk’s death or U.S.-Israel politics.
  • Claims the “anti-Israel right” poses a greater threat to the status quo than the left, because the right currently holds more political power.

  “The anti-Israel right at this point is, I think, a much bigger threat to the status quo than the anti-Israel left. Partly because the right has power and the left doesn’t.” — Panelist E [24:33–25:01]

• The conversation draws parallels to how support for Israel can turn sour due to pressure campaigns, referencing the John Kiriakou interview:

  “People who start out being friendly to Israel end up hating Israel because of the way it treats even its friends.” — G [26:52]

6. Deep Dive: Israel’s Influence on U.S. Christians and Politics

[28:59–44:55]

• Dore reads from Brandt Burleson’s whistleblower article, "I Helped Israel Propagandize American Christians," exposing:

  • The active manipulation of U.S. evangelical support for Israel as a diplomatic and political tool.
  • Israeli government’s strategic courting and use of powerful Christian pastors in the U.S., linking support for Israel to biblical prophecy and leveraging their influence over millions.

• Memorable anecdote:

  “These people give me the creeps. What happens when they go back to thinking their God doesn’t like us again?” — Israeli diplomat Daniel Agronov (as recounted by Burleson) [37:50]

  • Displays the underlying cynicism behind such alliances.

• Dore further explores how Israel uses “Judaism as a shield” for policies, manipulating both American Christians and Jews, and condemns the use of accusations of antisemitism as a weapon to silence critique.

7. Trump’s “Paramilitary” Executive Order: Authoritarian Drift

[44:55–61:52]

• Dore pivots to breaking news about Trump’s signing of an executive order to create a national “quick reaction force” — a rapid-response domestic military unit designed to quell civil unrest.

  • Features expert warnings (Radley Balko, Democracy Now) about accelerating the merger of military and police functions — a clear threat to the right to protest.

• Notable quotes:

  “Trump wants these rapid deployment units created within the National Guard that he can deploy... nationwide is important. This isn’t to deploy overseas. This is a military force to be deployed domestically.” — Radley Balko [45:42–45:53]
  “He is wanting to change that whole game plan... the administration is trying to desensitize the American people to get used to American armed soldiers... patrolling the streets of America. Yes. Trump wants guard units, quote, whose purpose is to, quite frankly, dominate and police the American people. And that is extremely disturbing.” — Dore [47:25–51:40]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Because the President said it isn’t his signature. And that’s good enough for me.” — Satirical Mike Johnson [03:54]
• “I don’t want you as my yes man. Go grovel to President Trump.” — Jimmy Dore to "Mike Johnson" [06:28]
• “I’m not going to say anything... there were prominent people actively working to get him [Kirk] to drop his support for Israel on a daily basis, and he resisted.” — Rabbi Wolicki [08:45–09:21]
• “That’s disgusting, actually. Don’t do that.” — Tucker Carlson, calling out Netanyahu [14:30]
• “He never bent. He kept his integrity to the very end.” — Tucker Carlson [16:50]
• “This just stinks. I’m sorry... it looks really bad.” — Jimmy Dore [21:11]
• “If an entity can hijack your faith, they can use it to hijack your government.” — Brandt Burleson [43:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:01] Satirical “Mike Johnson” call
• [06:45] Kirk assassination coverage begins
• [09:21–11:44] Rabbi Wolicki on Kirk’s pressures
• [13:33–14:30] Tucker Carlson accuses Netanyahu (to JD Vance’s face)
• [16:39–17:06] Tucker on donor pressure, Kirk’s integrity
• [17:06–21:24] Dore/B-panelist: the real stakes behind Kirk’s death
• [21:24–27:30] Left/right media, Israel lobby dynamics
• [28:59–44:55] Brandt Burleson’s insider whistleblowing
• [44:55–51:40] Trump’s executive order and police militarization

Tone and Style

• Dore’s trademark mix of sardonic, profane humor and passionate, progressive outrage is on full display.
• The episode is both intensely critical and deeply skeptical of U.S. political power, the bipartisan consensus on Israel, and the erosion of civil liberties under Trump.

In Summary

This episode is an incisive, wide-ranging critique of current American politics, blending sharp satire, deep dives into the machinations of the Israel lobby, and blunt warnings about creeping authoritarianism at home. The show features rare candor from high-profile right-wing figures (notably Tucker Carlson openly challenging Netanyahu’s narrative) and does not shy away from "naming names" or drawing controversial connections.

For listeners seeking a critical, irreverent, and investigatory take on the intersection of foreign policy, power, and American dissent, this episode is essential.