The Michael Knowles Show – Ep. 1897

Title: JD Vance DEBUNKS Lie That ICE Arrested 5-Year-Old
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles dives into several left-wing narratives that the right has debunked over the preceding days. The primary focus is on the viral story claiming ICE arrested a 5-year-old, with guest J.D. Vance providing clarification and context. The episode also addresses the myths around government-funded health care for undocumented immigrants and the legal status of entering the U.S. illegally. Knowles further critiques the communication skills of prominent left-wing figures, reacts to current pop-culture news (including the casting of Dylan Mulvaney), and comments on new roles for Marco Rubio under President Trump. Throughout, the episode blends political analysis, cultural commentary, and satirical asides.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Debunking the Viral ICE 5-Year-Old Arrest Story

(Starts ~03:06)

• J.D. Vance’s Perspective:
  • Vance, father to a 5-year-old himself, saw the story about ICE allegedly arresting a five-year-old and was initially horrified.
  • Upon investigation: The child was not the one arrested; his father, an illegal alien, was the target. When officers moved in, the father ran, leaving his son alone in the cold.
  • ICE detained and cared for the child for his safety—there was never a child’s arrest in the legal sense.
  • Quote:

    "If the argument is that you can't arrest people who have violated our laws because they have children, then every single parent is going to be completely given immunity from ever being the subject of law enforcement. That doesn't make any sense. No one thinks that makes any sense."
    — J.D. Vance (03:37)

• Michael Knowles’ Analysis:
  • Left-leaning media twist a factual detail (ICE did detain a child) into a misleading narrative (that ICE is arresting children as criminals).
  • Partial truths can become ‘total lies’—by omitting context, media create heresies.
  • Quote:

    "What the left has done is report a partial truth that tells a total lie."
    — Michael Knowles (04:33)

2. Government Health Care for Undocumented Immigrants

(09:25–11:48)

• Democrat Contradiction at World Economic Forum:
  • Video of Gavin Newsom discussing California’s Medi-Cal expansion to undocumented immigrants (“regardless of your status”).
  • Contradicts previous Democratic talking points (e.g., by Hakeem Jeffries) that illegal immigrants are ineligible for federally funded health care like Medicare.
  • Quotes:

    "Do I believe in universal health care? Yes. Regardless of preexisting conditions, ability to pay and your status."
    — Gavin Newsom (09:25) "We're one of 16 states to provide care to people regardless of their immigration status."
    — Gavin Newsom (09:33)

  • Knowles notes that Medi-Cal is partially federally funded (money is fungible), so taxpayer dollars are going to health care for illegals.
  • Quote:

    "That's not how money works. That's totally ridiculous."
    — Michael Knowles (11:31)

• Political Fallout:
  • Knowles advises Republicans to highlight this contradiction in coming campaigns.
  • The left's inability to maintain consistent messaging is a political vulnerability.

3. Alex Soros and Davos Disarray

(16:31–18:41)

• Alex Soros at World Economic Forum:
  • First major appearance as successor to George Soros.
  • Soros gives vague, meandering statements about democracy, plurality, and disinformation.
  • Quote:

    "Democracy is about contestation of ideas. It's about plurality. It's about people having different truths actually..."
    — Alex Soros (16:31)

• Knowles’ Reaction:
  • Compares the performance to a clueless book report.
  • Sees the lack of clarity as a “white pill” (encouraging sign) for conservatives:

    "The apple fell very far. A strong wind blew that apple far away from the tree."
    — Michael Knowles (18:11)

4. Are Misdemeanors Crimes? Don Lemon’s “Misdemeanor” Blunder

(21:49–22:42)

• On-the-Street Interview:
  • Don Lemon, now a street interviewer, claims illegal border crossing is “not a criminal act.”
  • A bystander woman—immigrant herself—exposes the logical flaw:
    • If a misdemeanor is not a crime, why is there a charge or punishment?
    • She presses Lemon, who flounders and contradicts himself.
  • Quote:

    “If there are different levels of crime and this just happens to be at a different level of crime than a felony, then you're admitting it is a crime, albeit a lesser crime than a felony.”
    — Michael Knowles (22:32)

5. Political Tidbits & Meme Culture: Marco Rubio’s “Many Jobs”

(After 32:20)

• Trump appoints Marco Rubio to chair the Miami Expo 2035 bid, adding to an ever-expanding list of roles.
• Knowles jokes that Trump is “leaning into the meme” about Rubio collecting jobs, maybe to keep him from running for president.
• Quote:

  “He's about to become El Commandante of Cuba. He's doing all these jobs. Trump is leaning into the meme. That's what's going on here."
  — Michael Knowles (36:08)

• Rubio’s endorsement of J.D. Vance as apparent GOP nominee shows party unity.

6. Cultural Commentary: Dylan Mulvaney on Broadway

(After 36:20)

• Mulvaney, a controversial transgender TikTok personality, is cast as Anne Boleyn in “Six.”
• Knowles lambasts the media and producers for feigning surprise at the backlash, arguing Mulvaney is chasing attention, not acting artistry.
• On Acting vs. Reality TV:

  "What Dylan Mulvaney is doing is the opposite of acting. He is living falsely in real circumstances."
  — Michael Knowles (37:02)

• Broader lesson: “Good acting is making your work about the truth, not yourself.”

7. Super Bowl Culture Wars: Bad Bunny’s Drag Performance

(37:36–39:11)

• Bad Bunny, pop star and “radical leftist transvestite,” to reportedly perform in a dress at the Super Bowl.
• Knowles sees this as unnewsworthy and unsurprising:

  "Breaking news. Dogs bark, birds chirp, sun shines... Transvestite wears a dress. Stop the presses."
  — Michael Knowles (37:49)

• Co-host raises the issue of mainstreaming such performances.

8. Q&A and Mailbag: Faith, Popular Culture, and History

(41:26–53:00)

• Henry VIII’s Annulment vs. Divorce
  • Listener challenges Knowles on the actual religious and legal grounds for Henry VIII’s split from the Church.
  • Knowles clarifies the distinction and the deeper issue of papal authority.
• Guilty Pleasure TV:
  • Knowles admits to “very little TV,” but recently enjoyed “The Beast in Me” on Netflix—“high class trash.”
• Martin Luther King’s Legacy:
  • Knowles expresses nuanced, critical appreciation for MLK’s myth vs. reality.
  • Quote:

    "He was a socialist and a racial identitarian... The stuff that he got right, he got right incidentally because liberalism, incidentally, gets stuff right."
    — Michael Knowles (48:40)

• Spiritual Longing vs. Psychic Temptation:
  • Listener confesses desire to visit a psychic; Knowles warns against the spiritual risks and explains the deeper draw of faith:
  • Quote:

    “It's a scandal that He's really close to us, that we can actually talk to Him, that we can see Him, that we know what He looks like. That's scandalous to people.”
    — Michael Knowles (52:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• J.D. Vance (03:37):
  “If the argument is that you can't arrest people who have violated our laws because they have children, then every single parent is going to be completely given immunity from ever being the subject of law enforcement. That doesn't make any sense."
• Michael Knowles (04:33):
  “What the left has done is report a partial truth that tells a total lie.”
• Gavin Newsom (09:25):
  “Do I believe in universal health care? Yes. Regardless of preexisting conditions, ability to pay and your status.”
• Michael Knowles (18:11):
  “The apple fell very far. A strong wind blew that apple far away from the tree.”
• Michael Knowles (22:32):
  “If there are different levels of crime... you're admitting it is a crime, albeit a lesser crime than a felony.”
• Michael Knowles (48:40):
  "He was a socialist and a racial identitarian... The stuff that he got right, he got right incidentally because liberalism... gets stuff right."
• Michael Knowles (52:30):
  "It's a scandal that He's really close to us, that we can actually talk to Him, that we can see Him, that we know what He looks like. That's scandalous to people.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:06 — J.D. Vance debunks the ICE 5-year-old arrest story
• 09:25 — Gavin Newsom on universal health care for undocumented immigrants
• 16:31 — Alex Soros’s debut at the World Economic Forum
• 21:49 — Don Lemon’s “misdemeanors aren’t crimes” segment
• 32:20 — Marco Rubio’s new roles and meme culture in the Trump administration
• 36:20 — Dylan Mulvaney cast as Anne Boleyn; Knowles on acting vs. reality
• 37:36 — Super Bowl drag performance controversy
• 41:26 — Mailbag: Henry VIII, guilty pleasures, MLK, spiritual seeking

Summary Takeaways

• Viral narratives, especially from the left, often involve strategic omissions and “partial truths” that distort the facts; critical thinking and full context are vital.
• High-profile Democrats contradict themselves on issues like health care for undocumented immigrants; Republicans should capitalize on this.
• Pop culture news (Broadway, Super Bowl) continues to reflect broader ideological battles.
• Internal GOP politics under Trump appear unusually harmonious, with meme-culture savvy.
• Listeners are encouraged to approach matters of faith and public life skeptically and with a search for deeper, objective truths—whether about law, history, or theology.

This summary conveys the episode’s content, points of view, and key moments, preserving the original style and attribution throughout, and is organized for clarity and usefulness for readers unfamiliar with the episode.