Podcast Summary: The Rob Carson Show

Episode: Mary Walters Speaks with Gordon Chang

Date: December 23, 2025
Host: Mary Walters (filling in for Rob Carson)
Guests: Gordon Chang (China expert, author), Doug Burns (former federal prosecutor)

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Mary Walters, features in-depth commentary on trending political stories, with a strong focus on U.S.-China relations, Trump’s newly announced “Golden Fleet,” U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, and developments related to Venezuela, Iran, and government corruption. Prominent China analyst Gordon Chang provides detailed insight on Chinese politics, America’s strategic posture, and global ripple effects. The show later brings on former federal prosecutor Doug Burns to dissect new Epstein documents, weaponization of agencies, and prosecutorial gamesmanship.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Trump’s Golden Fleet Announcement & U.S. Naval Posturing

[04:17–10:28]

• Mary Walters recaps Trump's major announcement: plans to build the biggest battleships in U.S. history, dubbed the “Trump class.”
  • Battleships are to be “100 times more powerful” than previous classes, equipped with advanced weapons and tech (missiles, lasers, railguns).
  • Manufacturing is prioritized in the U.S., akin to Trump’s stance on pharmaceutical production.
• Policy Rationale:
  • Trump claims these ships deliver “combat effects at a fraction of the cost of missiles.”
  • Some defense experts worry about large ships’ vulnerability to modern missile warfare; others see value in endurance and firepower.
  • Trump emphasizes jobs, U.S.-based shipbuilding, and technological independence.
• Tongue-in-cheek commentary: Walters jokes about naming ships after political figures and riffs on Trump’s rhetorical style (“They’re bigger, but they’re bigger…”).

“These are bigger, but they will have 100 times the force, the power. And there’s never been anything like these ships.”
— Donald Trump [04:17]

2. Trump’s Foreign Policy on Colombia, Venezuela, and the Border

[11:29–14:10]

• Colombia: Trump criticizes the new Colombian president, calling him a “very bad guy,” referencing cocaine production.
  • Thinly veiled threats: U.S. intelligence knows the locations of Colombian cocaine factories.
• Venezuela: Trump hopes increased pressure will force Nicolás Maduro from power.
  • Links open U.S. borders to criminal influx from Venezuela.
  • Notes policy difference: Trump’s use of executive action vs. Biden overturning those actions.

“He’s got to watch his ass because he makes cocaine and they send it into the United States of America from Colombia.”
— Donald Trump [11:42]

3. Commentary on U.S. Policy, Immigration, and Partisan Dynamics

[16:06–21:09]

• Walters discusses Hunter Biden’s podcast comments, in which he criticizes both immigration policy and Afghanistan withdrawal as “catastrophic failures.”
  • Points out hypocrisy and shifting partisan priorities; details on drone policy differences between Obama and Trump.
• General frustration with left/right partisanship, especially on border security and executive action.

Interview with Gordon Chang on China & Global Politics

4. Is the Golden Fleet Really About China?

[23:19–25:01]

• Chang: While Trump denies targeting China, the naval expansion clearly counters China’s rapidly growing navy (now >370 ships vs. US ~294), as outlined in his national security strategy.
  • U.S. remains technologically ahead but numerically behind.

“These ships really don’t make sense if you don’t have a China in the world...”
— Gordon Chang [24:25]

5. The Coming Collapse of China — Still on Track?

[25:01–26:19]

• Chang: China’s economic growth is overstated; real rates may be as low as 0–1%.
  • Severe demographic decline forecasted (loss of 3/4 population by 2100).
  • Increased propaganda signals internal weakness, reminiscent of Sun Tzu’s maxim: “When strong, appear weak.”
  • Digital totalitarianism is keeping CCP afloat, but popular unrest simmers.

“China will lose at least 3/4 of its population between now and 2100... China has reached high point.”
— Gordon Chang [25:15]

6. Trump’s Unpredictability & Chinese Leadership Calculations

[27:01–28:17]

• Chang explains Trump’s foreign policy unpredictability as a “Jedi mind trick” that destabilizes adversaries’ decision-making, including in China.
• Xi Jinping faces daily regime-security challenges, with ongoing leadership purges suggesting instability.

“I think the Chinese are having a hard time trying to figure Trump out.”
— Gordon Chang [27:01]

7. Prospects for Change in China

[28:43–30:35]

• Chang argues that China’s coercive, totalitarian controls can only last so long; periodic, intense popular unrest could eventually topple the regime suddenly.

“When [the regime] goes, it probably goes in a flash. And that’s been the history...”
— Gordon Chang [29:44]

8. Venezuela, Russia, Cuba: The Blockade and its Consequences

[31:30–33:17]

• Russia reportedly begins evacuating diplomatic families from Venezuela due to U.S. pressure.
• Cut-off of Venezuelan oil could collapse both Maduro’s regime and communist Cuba, as both depend on favorable oil imports.
• Walters and Chang express concern about terrorist groups filling any regional power vacuum.

“When Trump is fully able to block all of those Venezuelan exports... it’s going to be the end of the Maduro regime and... communism, Cuba.”
— Gordon Chang [32:53]

9. Iran, Israel, and Regional Threats

[35:02–36:37]

• Iran, with Chinese support, is rebuilding missile and nuclear capabilities.
  • Trump praised for interdiction efforts, but Chang urges more public confrontation with China.
  • Walters notes Trump’s strong support among Israelis.
  • Chang lauds Trump’s Gulf State diplomacy.

“Trump’s great foreign policy success of this term really has been what he’s been able to do with... Israel. This is really fantastic diplomacy.”
— Gordon Chang [36:12]

Segment with Doug Burns: Epstein Docs, Agency Weaponization, and Congressional Corruption

[38:17–48:14]

10. Epstein Files & Media Spin

• DOJ releases Epstein files; claims include “untrue and sensationalist” material on Trump, which they debunked as false.
• Burns: Political exploitation is inevitable, regardless of exculpatory findings.
  • DOJ faces challenges balancing transparency with protecting victims, grand jury secrecy, and complying with gag orders.
  • Predicts that if there were truly damaging evidence on Trump, it would’ve leaked long ago.

“If there were anything negative that would really hurt Donald Trump, it would have been out long, long, long ago.”
— Doug Burns [43:17]

11. Partisan Hypocrisy and Republican Weakness

• Both Walters and Burns express frustration at the GOP’s unwillingness to fight as hard as Democrats (“Why don’t Republicans judge shop the way Democrats do?”).
  • Burns: Dems are more aggressive; GOP is naive about partisan tactics.
  • Congressional corruption is rampant; system incentivizes status quo.

“I will not sign up for a team that doesn’t fight. How the Republicans don't know that this is what the Democrats do is absolutely shocking to me.”
— Mary Walters [45:49]

12. DOJ/FBI Weaponization and Accountability

• Burns details how DOJ and FBI were “completely, totally and thoroughly weaponized improperly and illegally against Trump.”
  • Unlikely anyone will be jailed, despite clear evidence of misconduct (e.g., Brennan’s lies on intelligence reports).

“When the history books are written in 50 years, there is absolutely no question whatsoever that DOJ and the FBI were... weaponized improperly and illegally against Trump.”
— Doug Burns [52:39]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mary Walters on Trump’s rhetoric:
  “They’re bigger by a little bit, but they’re bigger. They’re bigger. Oh, he tickles me.” [05:42]

• Gordon Chang on China’s future:
  “China has reached [its] high point... Demographic decline... China will lose at least 3/4 of its population between now and 2100.” [25:15]

• Gordon Chang on Trump’s unpredictability:
  “What Trump is doing is this... Jedi mind trick that he’s playing on a lot of world leaders.” [27:01]

• Doug Burns on the Epstein files:
  “If there were anything negative that would really hurt Donald Trump, it would have been out long, long, long ago.” [43:17]

Important Timestamps

• [04:17] Trump explains the "Golden Fleet" and new battleships
• [11:29] Trump on Colombia and cocaine factories
• [13:24] Trump on Venezuela and Maduro
• [23:19] Gordon Chang on new U.S. battleships being directed at China
• [25:01] Chang on the shaky state of China’s economy and society
• [27:01] Chang on Trump’s impact on China’s strategy
• [31:30] Russian evacuation from Venezuela and regional effects
• [35:02] Expansion of Iranian nuclear/missile programs and U.S.-Israel cooperation
• [43:17] Doug Burns explains media games with Epstein files and lack of evidence against Trump
• [52:39] Burns: FBI/DOJ weaponization against Trump indisputable in hindsight

Tone and Style

• Conversational, irreverent, and blunt: The hosts and guests balance humor with serious policy analysis.
• Candid critiques: Both major parties are scrutinized, with special focus on what the hosts see as Republican timidity and Democratic overreach.
• Accessible expert analysis: Both Chang and Burns break down complex geopolitical and legal issues for a broad audience.

Takeaways

• Trump’s naval build-up is widely understood as a strategic counter to China, despite public denials.
• China’s internal instability—economic malaise, demographic collapse, and totalitarian repression—makes the regime’s long-term survival doubtful.
• Trump’s unpredictable style causes confusion for adversaries.
• U.S. policy toward Latin America is shifting toward greater pressure on adversarial regimes via sanctions and blockades, with wide regional implications.
• Weaponization of U.S. government agencies and partisan legal tactics dominate legal/political analysis.
• Listeners are left with an urgent sense that the American political system—with weaponized agencies and tepid opposition—faces serious structural challenges.

End of summary.