The Rubin Report: Dr. Phil Ghosted by Kamala, How Elon Almost Went Broke, Tony Robbins' Best Life Hack & More

Host: Dave Rubin
Date: December 29, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Dave Rubin brings together a panel of prominent guests to discuss current cultural, political, and economic developments. Topics include Dr. Phil being "ghosted" by Kamala Harris, Tony Robbins' life hacks for mental health, the near-collapse of Elon Musk’s companies, media bias, the state of the US and global politics, the shifting real estate and safety climate in New York and Florida, and challenges facing Western civilization. The show features a mix of humor, personal anecdotes, and deep analysis, staying true to the podcast’s “real conversations, real news” ethos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tony Robbins’ Morning Routine – “Priming” for Positivity

[01:00–05:00]

• Tony Robbins shares his powerful daily routine to combat overwhelm:
  • "The number one way to get overwhelmed is what I call stacking... we think of one [challenging experience] after another... and then we're in overwhelm."
  • His “priming” routine: 3 minutes on gratitude (“the antidote to fear and anger”), 3 minutes blessing loved ones, 3 minutes envisioning “three to thrive” life achievements as if already done.
  • Quote [02:40]: "If you don't have 10 minutes for your life, you don't have a life."
• Robbins ties this to practical resilience amidst increasing social and political division.

2. The “Scouts of the Future” & Moral Optimism

[07:00–15:00]

• The group discusses the biblical Exodus and applies it to U.S. politics, likening Trump supporters to “scouts of the future.”
• Speaker B: "You have a moral obligation to be optimistic about the future...That's the defining characteristic of faith."
• Quote [11:00]: “If we maintain our upward aim… there’s no desert we can’t make bloom.”

3. Truth & Reconciliation in American Politics

[15:00–19:00]

• Reflection on post-scandal accountability: Rather than mass arrests, suggest a “Truth and Reconciliation commission” (like South Africa post-apartheid) to expose and deter bureaucratic abuses.
  • Speaker C: "My suspicion is that that sort of transparency will very much discourage a repeat of this behavior."
  • Sharply critical of Russia investigations, FISA abuses, and the “recent past” (COVID-19 handling, Fauci) over “ancient” injustices.
• South Africa’s decline is presented as a warning (state-owned enterprise failures, racial laws, expropriation without compensation).

4. Media Bias, Cancel Culture & Everyday Impact

[20:00–36:00]

• Discussions about media slant against conservative figures, highlighting Hungary and Viktor Orban as examples of Western media misinformation.
• The impact of brand “cancellation” on the Trump Organization post-2016.
  • Speaker D: "They wanted to see us dead... Fortune 500 CEOs... canceling your accounts."
• Safety and law enforcement realities in Florida vs. New York:
  • Florida’s “zero tolerance” for street takeovers: “Miami PD got him off the street in 13 minutes... zero tolerance.”
  • Mass migration’s effects on the UK, Australia, and U.S. housing, social services, and free speech.

5. Dr. Phil Ghosted by Kamala Harris

[38:20–41:20]

• Dr. Phil recounts his attempt to attend and cover a Kamala Harris event:
  • "They actually didn't want me there, but I damn sure would have gone."
  • Reiterates respect for the office of the presidency, regardless of who is elected.
  • Quote [40:10]: “Had Kamala Harris been elected, she would have been my president and I would have supported her.”

6. Surviving the Culture Wars: Personal Stories

[41:30–50:00]

• Personal impacts of public life: Divorce, career changes (leaving ESPN), and learning to “compartmentalize.”
• Relationships, parenting, and finding new love unexpectedly.
  • “I think when you get a divorce, it’s a failure in some ways... But look what came of those. There were the majority, beautiful years.”

7. Communism, Economics & the "Cuban PTSD"

[50:00–55:00]

• Insights from Miami: How Cuban-American experiences shape local politics, and predictions for a mass exodus from New York City due to economic, safety, and governance concerns.
  • "Communism is the easiest sell in politics...the problem is it's the opposite of all...a rising tide lifts all boats. This is a sinking tide, sinks all boats."
• Economic consequences: real estate rising outside NYC as residents flee anticipated tax hikes and crime.

8. Cults of Personality & Populism

[55:00–58:00]

• Critique of political "cults" (around Trump, Elon Musk, etc.) from the “OG” tech right.
  • "I want Americans to walk erect... I don’t want cults of personality... It's incredibly disrespectful."
• Emphasis that antisemitism and bigotry must be called out on both sides; both the “pro-Hamas left” and the gripers on the right are called to account.

9. Elon Musk Nearly Going Broke

[1:02:00–1:09:00]

• Anecdote about Elon Musk almost losing Tesla and SpaceX:
  • Speaker F: "He basically went bankrupt and a friend of ours was loaning him money to keep him afloat."
  • Recalls seeing Musk at Boa Steakhouse: "I have a couple of million dollars I can loan you. He's like, don't bother. I'm. I'm done. Tesla's going to go out of business in two weeks."
  • Quote [1:08:00]: "If you can do that for $50,000 [Model S], you’ll change the fucking world."
  • Musk survives through last-minute investments and "first orders" from loyal friends.

10. The Dangers of “Emocracy” & Decline of Debate

[1:13:00–1:18:00]

• Quoting Ian Hirsi Ali: "Democracy can only work when you’re clearly committed to reasoned evidence-based debate... Otherwise you won't produce good policy."
  • Many progressives, it’s argued, refuse to have open debate and rest on emotion over evidence.
  • Speaker G: “It’s not that little Johnny can’t think...The trouble is that little Johnny thinks that feeling is thinking.”

11. Immigration and Institutional Decay

[1:21:00–1:28:00]

• Mass migration—both legal and illegal—has a direct impact on housing, cost of living, and the social fabric in the West, especially Australia and Britain.
• Government and institutional decay, with leaders allegedly out of touch with ordinary people and “common sense”.

12. Washington Dysfunction

[1:30:00–1:33:00]

• Speaker H: "In Washington D.C. norm is a setting on the clothes dryer... Common sense is illegal."
  • The book discussed is “not a policy book,” but stories that “might make people laugh, but also think.”
  • “The water in Washington D.C. is not going to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek.”

13. Notable Quotes & Quick Bites

[throughout]

• “Kale to me tastes like I’d rather be fat.” [1:34:30]
• Skills for young men: “The key skill in success, I believe is the ability to endure rejection, to mourn and to move on.” [1:35:30]
• “45% of men ages 18 to 25 have never approached a woman in person...” [1:36:00]

Notable Timestamps & Memorable Moments

• Tony Robbins on priming/overwhelm: [01:00–05:00]
• Biblical analogies for U.S. politics / “scouts of the future”: [07:00–11:30]
• Truth & Reconciliation recommendation: [15:00–18:00]
• Dr. Phil recounts Kamala ghosting: [38:20–41:20]
• Trump Organization under siege: [25:00–29:00]
• Elon Musk’s darkest hour: [1:02:00–1:09:00]
• Decline of Western debate—'Emocracy' and 'feeling is thinking’: [1:13:00–1:18:00]
• Washington dysfunction humor—“get the pigs out of the creek”: [1:30:00–1:33:00]
• Dating, divorce, learning to love again: [41:30–50:00]

Tone & Language

The conversation blends humor, candor, and passionate debate. Even when discussing heavy societal shifts or personal struggles, the guests and host use accessible, sometimes wry language, and don’t shy from direct criticism.

Conclusion

This episode of The Rubin Report delivers a wide-ranging, unapologetically opinionated conversation on the most pressing issues in American (and Western) life—free speech, politics, economic uncertainty, media integrity, and the search for optimism. Guest perspectives, from Tony Robbins’ mental resilience to recollections of Elon Musk’s financial peril to first-hand political and cultural commentary, bring depth and variety to the discussion. Whether dissecting the practical policies of Florida or sharing personal stories of struggle and growth, the episode underscores the importance of hope, honesty, and critical engagement in troubled times.

For further exploration, listen to the full episode for extended personal anecdotes and heated panel exchanges, especially around [38:00–1:09:00] and [1:30:00 onward].