The Michael Knowles Show — Episode 1874

Alleged Charlie Kirk Assassin Smirks During First Court Hearing
Date: December 12, 2025
Podcast Host: Michael Knowles / The Daily Wire

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles examines the first court appearance of Tyler Robinson, alleged murderer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, focusing on Robinson's demeanor and the broader political and cultural themes underscored by reactions to the case. Knowles also delves into U.S.-Venezuela tensions, the relevance of Catholic mysticism in geopolitics, European immigration policies, and reflects on how cultural storytelling undermines moral clarity. The episode features Knowles' characteristic blend of satire, direct commentary, and conservative cultural criticism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tyler Robinson Court Appearance: The Smirking Suspect

• Summary:
  Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, appeared in court, smirking and displaying a lack of remorse. Knowles explores both the evidence against Robinson and the implications of his demeanor.

• Main Points:

  • Robinson's arrest and the substantial evidence against him (fingerprints, DNA, text confessions, parents turning him in).
  • The defense claims misinformation has spread through altered court images, but Knowles argues the smirk seen in actual footage damages any claim to innocence.
  • Raises the point that left-wing violence, particularly involving individuals with extreme online, anarchist, and LGBT identities, is often ignored or minimized in media narratives.
  • Compares left/center-left narratives that typically deflect blame away from leftist violence or excuse it (“hate breeds hate”).
  • Notes ongoing uncertainties: a mysterious second person at the crime scene, hints at a possible broader conspiracy.

• Notable Quote:

  “The thing you notice is this freak was smirking. … He wasn’t saying, ‘I’m an innocent man, you got the wrong guy. I’m wrongly accused.’ He was smirking. He was showing no remorse. And he would seem to me to be insinuating his guilt with his facial expressions…” — Michael Knowles [15:25]

• Timestamps:

  • [08:05] — Introduction to Tyler Robinson and court appearance
  • [11:30] — Defense arguments about “deepfake” courtroom photos
  • [16:22] — Analysis of left-wing violence and how it's downplayed
  • [19:55] — Possibility of a broader conspiracy

2. Tensions Between U.S. and Venezuela; Prophetic Warnings

• Summary:
  With Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro threatening the U.S., Knowles outlines the history and current geopolitical stakes, introducing the prophetic warnings of Venezuelan Catholic mystic Maria Esperanza de Bianchini.

• Main Points:

  • Longstanding U.S. efforts to oust Maduro; recent military and economic actions under Trump.
  • Trump’s “keep the oil” stance; Knowles lauds America asserting hemisphere influence, but warns against stumbling into war.
  • Maria Esperanza’s prophecy—that a world-altering event would start in Venezuela—and her documented predictions of 9/11.
  • The unpredictable origins of world wars and the complexity of global interests in Venezuela (Russia, China, Iran).

• Notable Quotes:

  “What I find so arresting about that… World wars have started for less than what’s going on in Venezuela. … There are Chinese interests there, Russian interests there, Iranian interests there.” — Michael Knowles [37:10] “This is an admonition as much for me as it is for anyone else: we should not be so cavalier about the war in Venezuela.” — [39:12]

• Timestamps:

  • [29:40] — Overview of Venezuela tensions
  • [32:00] — Trump’s take on Venezuela
  • [36:50] — Maria Esperanza’s mystical warnings

3. European Immigration: Legal vs. Illegal

• Summary:
  Knowles criticizes Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) for responding to illegal Muslim immigration by simply increasing legal pathways, highlighting the folly of legal/illegal distinctions when the cultural issue is one of mass migration itself.

• Main Points:

  • Von der Leyen’s solution: more “safe, legal pathways” for Muslim migrants.
  • Knowles’ satirical take: “Now you’re not upset, right? … Legally shooting up your Christmas markets!”
  • Emphasizes the historic hostility between European civilization and mass Islamic immigration.
  • Links the issue to broader questions of European (and American) cultural identity.

• Notable Quote:

  “She thinks that the part that everyone is really upset with about the illegal immigration is the illegal part. … Well, what if we just make it all legal? … What if we just don’t?” — Michael Knowles [44:20]

• Timestamps:

  • [41:15] — Introduction to von der Leyen’s comments
  • [43:48] — Knowles’ critique and analysis

4. American Identity & Trump Criticism

• Summary:
  Using a recent political attack against Donald Trump (“not American because he didn't serve in the military”), Knowles interrogates what actually constitutes American identity—heritage, creed, or political beliefs—and highlights the hypocrisy of this line of criticism.

• Main Points:

  • Contradictory logic of using military service as a prerequisite for “true” American identity.
  • Points out that many recent Democratic presidents did not serve.
  • Explores creedal vs. ancestral understandings of national identity.
  • Argues such attacks are empty and deflect from substantive debates.

• Notable Quotes:

  “He’s not an American. He’s not served in the military. … That’s not a citizenship requirement. … It comes to an important question.” — Michael Knowles [48:30]

• Timestamps:

  • [46:50] — Attack on Trump’s Americanness, Knowles’ response

5. Cultural Storytelling and Moral Confusion: Netflix’s “Steps”

• Summary:
  Knowles ridicules the Netflix animated show “Steps,” which recasts Cinderella’s evil stepsisters as misunderstood anti-heroes. He likens this to the wider cultural trend of flipping good and evil—“opposite day” storytelling—arguing that it erodes the foundations of moral clarity and ultimately enables real-life villainy.

• Main Points:

  • “What if the bad guy is really the good guy?” — the lazy trope of “subverting expectations.”
  • Modernity’s reversal of values; how this emergent post-1960s thinking leads to excusing criminals and moral inversion in society.
  • Argues that storytelling is not just entertainment but directly correlated to societal perceptions of justice and evil.

• Notable Quote:

  “This is why freaks who murder innocent good men can get off the hook. This is why repeat offenders … go murder and rape and kill and pillage and burn. … There was a time we just said, ‘Hey, what if it were opposite day?’” — Michael Knowles [51:44]

• Timestamps:

  • [50:02] — Review of “Steps” and critique of storytelling tropes
  • [52:18] — Connection to societal issues and moral confusion

6. Mailbag & Listener Questions

• Baptism Formula:

  • Why does the Catholic Church baptize using the Trinitarian formula, rather than just “in Jesus’ name” as mentioned in Acts?
  • Knowles’ Reply: The Trinitarian formula comes directly from Christ’s words in Matthew 28:19, distinguishing Christian baptism; Acts references are to distinguish from other forms, not contradictory.
  • [59:02]

• Grading Trump’s Immigration Policy:

  • A former teacher argues that in evaluating Trump’s immigration stats, one should add “deterred immigrants”—those who didn’t even attempt to enter—to internal metrics.
  • Knowles’ Reply: Agrees, adding that including “self-deportations” and deterrence highlights the policy’s broader success.
  • [1:01:50]

• The Knowles Prenup:

  • Listener describes using Knowles’ “prenup” — whoever files for divorce forfeits everything — as a statement against divorce.
  • Knowles’ Reply: Endorses the approach, emphasizing the intent to prevent divorce, not to hedge against it.
  • [1:05:28]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Don’t doubt the power of narrative in deluding people. … And don’t doubt the targeted, intentional violence of the left and the degree to which they will downplay, excuse, justify, and even celebrate political violence.” — [26:10]
• “A king will arise to hold all Britain in his hand. … You stand together. You stand as Britons. You stand as one.” — [1:12:08] (Dramatic reading from the Arthurian legend in the episode’s closing moments)

Conclusion

This episode of The Michael Knowles Show intertwines current headlines (the Charlie Kirk case, Venezuela tensions, European migration) with deep-dive cultural analysis, connecting media narratives and societal storytelling to concrete political and moral outcomes. Through satire, classical references, and listener interactions, Knowles articulates a consistent critique of progressive narratives, cultural relativism, and the erosion of traditional values.

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Tyler Robinson’s Court Appearance & Cultural Analysis — [08:05] – [28:30]
• Venezuela, Prophecy, and War — [29:40] – [39:45]
• European Migration Policy Critique — [41:15] – [45:55]
• American Identity Segment — [46:50] – [50:00]
• Netflix’s Steps & Storytelling as Cultural Poison — [50:02] – [52:35]
• Mailbag: Baptism, Immigration Metrics, Prenups — [59:02] – [1:07:00]
• Dramatic Arthurian Reading — [1:09:32] – Episode close

Recommended for listeners interested in:

• Political violence and media narratives
• Geopolitics through a conservative and religious lens
• The impact of storytelling on cultural values
• Contemporary debates on migration and national identity
• Satirical, philosophical takes on current events