The Michael Knowles Show – Ep. 1869

Title: BREAKING: January 6 Pipe Bomber Revealed
Date: December 5, 2025
Host: Michael Knowles (The Daily Wire)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles dives into the recent arrest of the alleged January 6th pipe bomber, analyzing the implications for law enforcement, the political narrative surrounding January 6th, and what the suspect's background suggests about domestic extremism. The episode weaves these topics with broader commentary on media narratives, left-wing violence, cultural debates, and listener questions, all through Knowles’ signature blend of skepticism, humor, and traditionalist conservatism.

Key Discussion Points

1. The January 6 Pipe Bomber Arrest

(02:18–12:55)

• Nearly five years after the 2021 Capitol riot, the individual suspected of planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC has finally been arrested—Brian Cole.
• Knowles points out the irony that the FBI, under Trump, managed to arrest the suspect with no new evidence, just greater investigative effort and new agency leadership.
  • Quote (08:44 – Kash Patel):
    “We did not discover any new information. What we did… was bring in a new team… reexamined every piece of evidence, sifted through all the data… something that the prior administration refused and failed to do.”
• Background on Cole:
  • Allegedly an anarchist (according to NY Post sources), not a right-winger.
  • Works at a family business specializing in bail bonds, particularly for immigration cases.
  • Family, especially his grandmother, claims he is naive, introverted, and incapable of violence.
• Knowles’ skeptical take:
  • “He doesn't seem like a right winger... Every fact we know could be disproven, but it just doesn't look like it.” (07:00)
• Two scenarios for the FBI’s earlier inaction:
  1. Malign neglect: They simply didn’t care to pursue non-right wing suspects.
  2. Active cover-up: Suppressed investigations since it didn’t fit the right-wing-insurrection narrative.
• Knowles asserts this delay is a “data point” for federal agency politicization and a trend of rising left-wing political violence—citing even The Atlantic’s recent coverage.

Memorable quote:
“It was either malign neglect, not benign neglect. It was malign neglect... The other scenario is it was an active cover up. That the Biden FBI and DOJ saw, ‘Yikes… doesn’t fit the narrative.’” (10:00-10:40)

2. Media Narratives & Left-Wing Violence

(12:55–19:45)

• Commentary on a clip from Jubilee, where Tim Miller (ex-GOP comms, now a liberal pundit) implicitly justifies violence against conservatives by labeling them “fascists.”
  • Miller: “If they don’t want to be called fascists, they shouldn’t act like fascists.” (15:10)
  • Knowles’ reaction:
    “The first starting point is: If you're a fascist, we can kill you… If you want us to stop calling you fascist, stop being a conservative, then maybe we'll stop killing you.” (16:12)
• Knowles ties this mindset to increased attacks on conservatives like Charlie Kirk, and warns that such rhetoric dangerously legitimizes violence.
• He challenges the idea that Republicans bear any resemblance to fascists, remarking that “the most right-wing mainstream Republican today is to the left of Democrats during the Bill Clinton era.”

3. The “Qatar Influencer Trips” Phenomenon

(19:45–27:14)

• Knowles notes a trend of right-wing influencers publicly praising trips to Qatar, and questions the purpose of these state-sponsored propaganda junkets.
• Acknowledges that both Qatar and Israel (often on opposite sides of US foreign affairs) run such trips to gain influence in Washington.
• His conclusion: This is the inevitable “business of empire,” with foreign powers vying for influence in the US capital.
  • “It’s just the tedium of the business of empire… If you recognize we’re an empire, that’s just how it works.” (26:38)

4. Debate Over Women in the Workforce and Conservatism

(27:51–32:19)

• Critique of The Atlantic’s attack on Heritage Foundation’s hiring of Scott Yenor, who has questioned the merit of greater female participation in the workforce.
• Knowles defends the traditional family model, suggesting it should not be controversial for conservative thinkers to value women’s roles as homemakers and mothers.
• Challenges the right’s celebration of declining female unemployment, arguing not all work outside the home represents progress.

5. Listener Mailbag Segment

(34:52–47:00)

A) Harry Potter and Witchcraft

• A listener asks about the risks of introducing children to magical themes in stories like Harry Potter.
• Knowles says he’s grown more reserved on the franchise, noting pastoral warnings (Fr. Dan Rehill) and literary criticism (Harold Bloom).
• Recommends Tolkien over Rowling for Christian parents (36:15-37:47).

B) Maternity Leave in the US

• Knowles supports generous family support—jokingly, “18 years of maternity leave”—but recognizes economic limitations.
• Advocates for cultural and policy shifts supporting families (tax credits, baby bonuses), but ultimately says women will need to press for broader change.

C) Gluttony and Sloth in Churches

• A listener laments the failure of churches to address “comfort sins” like gluttony and sloth.
• Knowles agrees, asserting most American churches (Catholic or Protestant) rarely emphasize any sin, let alone those tied to self-control.

D) Family Planning with Military Deployments

• A woman married to a Navy pilot asks if they should wait to have children due to the husband’s deployments.
• Knowles responds: “You guys need to have kids right now... You can't have your second until you have your first... That’s what you signed up for.”
• Affirms the nobility and sacrifice of military family life, but encourages starting a family without waiting for perfect timing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FBI’s January 6 Pipe Bomber Arrest:
  “They sent the US Marshals out all over for months... But when it comes to this pipe bomb, well, we’ll just not pursue the leads.” (10:00)

• Left’s Rhetorical Violence:
  “If you contradict them in any way... what they will tell you is, ha ha, maybe we’ll just kill you... and use that designation as justification to murder you.” (19:08)

• On Women’s Workforce Participation:
  “Why do I want women in greater numbers to go work in the widget factory?... Are you kidding me? This was a very, very, very liberal view for virtually all of history until, what, the 90s?” (30:15)

Important Timestamps

• Pipe Bomber Segment Begins: 02:18
• FBI Director Patel Clip: 08:44
• Knowles Outlines the Two FBI Neglect/Conspiracy Scenarios: 09:56–11:49
• Left Rhetoric/Violence Discussion: 12:55–19:45
• Qatar Influencer Segment: 19:45–27:14
• Debate on Women in the Workforce: 27:51–32:19
• Mailbag Begins: 34:52
  • Harry Potter Question: 34:52
  • Maternity Leave Question: 37:57
  • Gluttony and Sloth in Church: 41:44
  • Military Family Planning: 45:04

Tone & Language

• Highly skeptical of government and mainstream media motives.
• Sarcastic, irreverent, and self-deprecating humor throughout.
• Traditionalist, anti-progressive, and sharply critical of current “conservative” compromises.
• Direct engagement with callers; frank yet often encouraging advice.

Conclusion

Michael Knowles uses the January 6 pipe bomber news as a vehicle to expose what he views as the double standards of law enforcement and media, the dangers of left-wing rhetoric legitimizing violence, and the erosion of traditional values—whether in national security, cultural clashes, or family life. Mailbag responses further illustrate Knowles’ philosophical and spiritual conservatism, offering listeners traditionalist solutions peppered with humor and firm convictions.