The Michael Knowles Show

Episode 1870 – “Somalis Built America?”

Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Michael Knowles
Podcast Network: The Daily Wire

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles tackles recent controversies and narratives surrounding immigration, assimilation, and American identity—particularly the claim by Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal that immigrants, including Somalis, “built America.” He unpacks recent political commentary on race, media framing of criminal acts, the assimilation of Somali immigrants, and Donald Trump’s new stance on immigration. Knowles weaves these themes together to critique progressive narratives about America’s history, national identity, and the impacts of mass migration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Media Narratives and Identity Politics

(01:26–07:59)

• The “White” Pipe Bomber Story:

  • CNN’s Framing: Knowles calls out Jake Tapper and CNN for referring to a black suspect in the January 6th pipe bomb case as a “white man.” He compares this to the media’s characterization of George Zimmerman (Trayvon Martin case) as “white Hispanic.”
  • Quote: “White in their parlance just means ‘bad’... So in that way, I guess Jake Tapper is right. The guy who planted the January 6th pipe bombs, he might be black as the heart of the Congo, but because he did something bad, he is white.” (06:15)
  • Analysis: Knowles notes that the media selectively applies identity labels in ways that fit preferred narratives about race and criminality.

• Surprise Over Race of a Suspect:

  • Response to a CNN panelist’s comment expressing surprise that the bomber was black, with Knowles agreeing that such domestic terrorist acts are statistically more often perpetrated by white leftists.
  • Quote: “The stereotypical person who commits this crime is a white leftist, like the Weather Underground.” (08:43)

2. Assimilation and Somali Immigration

(10:30–13:33, 18:33–20:44, 22:15–23:33)

• Ilhan Omar’s Response on Assimilation:

  • CBS Face the Nation segment, Omar equates calls for Somali assimilation to “Nazism.”
  • Quote (Ilhan Omar): “The way the Nazis described Jewish people in Germany. Somali we are in this country as Americans. We are citizens. We are productive part of this nation, and we will continue to be.” (11:05–11:22)
  • Knowles’ Take: He criticizes Omar for evading the core question of whether Somalis assimilate and argues that as a group, “they’re not productive; they’re counterproductive to America because they defraud our welfare system to the tune of a billion dollars.” (11:22)

• Viral Video: Minneapolis Mayor and Somali Food:

  • Knowles describes Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry uncomfortably eating Somali food in a perceived bid to court Somali voters.
  • Quote: “It’s my absolute favorite video going around the Internet right now... he tries to babble out a few words of Star Wars language every now and again to suck up to the Somalis.” (12:53)
  • Knowles interprets this as symbolic of the broader issues of non-assimilation and demographic change.

• Critique of Arguments for Mass Immigration:

  • Debunks arguments that immigrants don’t use welfare or commit crimes, and mocks the “but the food is good!” justification, insisting these points are irrelevant or factually inaccurate.
  • Quote: “No one likes Somali food. Nobody likes it. So even that argument... we take that away.” (22:15)

3. Shifting Conservative and Trumpian Immigration Policy

(23:33–32:02)

• Trump’s Quiet Policy Shift:

  • Trump endorses a block of text calling for a return to restrictive, assimilation-focused immigration policies reminiscent of the 1924 Immigration Act.
  • Quote: “Trump just endorsed that view. That is radical. Now, I think that's where most people are.” (31:53)
  • Knowles breaks down three immigration positions:
    1. Liberal (more legal/illegal immigration)
    2. Procedural conservative (“legal, not illegal”)
    3. Restrictionist (Knowles’ and now Trump’s position: reduce all immigration)

• Historical Framing:

  • Knowles insists that immigration policy should serve the country's actual needs and capacity to assimilate newcomers, not as an open-ended moral obligation.

4. “Immigrants Built America” – A Progressive Myth?

(32:02–39:38)

• Jayapal’s Claim Examined:

  • Pramila Jayapal’s statement that Somalis (arrived mostly post-1990s) “built America” is used as an entry point to critique the generalized notion that America is a “nation of immigrants.”
  • Quote: “Somalis got here in the 1990s... and they have never built anything in America. They've only taken from America as a group... The country was obviously not built by them.” (33:37)

• Historical Perspective:

  • Knowles contrasts the contributions of early settlers and foundational generations with recent immigrant groups, pointing to the collapsing social solidarity, drop in birth rates, and other negative metrics since the late 1960s wave of immigration.

• Slavery and Building America:

  • Challenges the claim that slaves “built America,” arguing that foundational institutions and culture come from “great men whose names you know—who had great thoughts and great visions.” (38:44)

5. Demographic Change, National Identity, and NATO

(42:40–48:08)

• Europe and "Making Europe White Again":

  • The National Security Strategy’s observation of declining European majorities in NATO countries and Shashank Joshi's (The Economist) mockery of this concern.
  • Quote: “Shouldn't Europe be white? What we mean by white is European. They're synonymous.” (45:54)
  • Knowles argues preserving the demographic core is both legitimate and essential to national and civilizational identity.

• Should America Remain “White”?

  • He provocatively asks whether it would be “bad” if whites disappeared from America, highlights the legitimacy of ethnic quotas, and argues that open demographic transformation is a deliberate policy and should be debated.

6. Broader Cultural Commentary

(48:08–54:15)

• Sydney Sweeney, “Jeans Ad,” and Cultural Shifts:

  • Discusses the controversy over actress Sydney Sweeney’s Wrangler jeans ad, her (forced) distancing from perceived right-wing associations, and the broader context of Hollywood’s declining power.
  • Quote: “The liberals won’t give you your hit movies back. There are no hit movies anymore. Don’t fall for it, Sidney.” (54:15)

• Conclusion: The left’s attempts to control culture and narrative are failing, as evidenced by the lack of cultural “hits”; Knowles urges holding firm against progressive pressure.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Immigration Narrative Satire:
  “[The] United States of America was actually secretly built by Somalis who came here in the 1990s.” – Michael Knowles (01:26)

• On Assimilation and Nazis:
  “She came to the conclusion that asking Somalis to assimilate to American culture is Nazism.” – Michael Knowles, on Ilhan Omar (09:59)

• Media Framing Racial Crime:
  “He might be black as the heart of the Congo, but because he did something bad... he is white. He has to be white.” – Michael Knowles (06:15)

• On the Viral Somali Food Video:
  “It’s my absolute favorite video... Jacob Fry, trying desperately to choke down disgusting Somali food.” (12:53)

• Historical Immigration:
  “America must be kept American. For this purpose, it is now necessary to enact a policy of restricted immigration.” – Trump-endorsed block quote (28:12)

Key Timestamps

• 01:26: Opening—satirical summary of progressive immigration lessons
• 05:00: Media racial framing and Jake Tapper segment
• 10:30: Ilhan Omar on assimilation and American identity
• 12:53: Mayor Fry, Minnneapolis, and Somali food viral video
• 18:33: Mass migration, assimilation challenges, and “the food argument”
• 23:33: Trump’s new, more restrictionist immigration stance
• 32:02: The myth that “immigrants built America”
• 42:40: Demographic change, NATO, and the integrity of Europe’s identity
• 48:08: "Would it be bad if there were no white people left in America?"
• 50:33: Sydney Sweeney's "jeans ad" controversy and Hollywood's decline

Tone and Style

Michael Knowles’ tone is wry, polemical, and unapologetically conservative. He moves fluidly between satire, historical analysis, and contemporary critique, often using sarcasm and dark humor to skewer progressive policymakers and media narratives.

For Listeners New to This Episode

This episode is a deep dive into current debates over immigration and national identity, critically examining left-wing and liberal narratives about who “built” America, the role of assimilation, and the legitimacy of pursuing demographic stability. It’s filled with biting critique, pop culture references, and Knowles’ trademark editorializing. Perfect for those interested in the intersection of politics, culture, and American historical narrative from a right-leaning perspective.