The Tim & April Show – Episode 66: We're Gobbling Up that Mamdani & Trump Meeting

Podcast: The Tim & April Show (The New Evangelicals)
Hosts: Tim Whitaker & April Ajoy
Date: November 26, 2025
Theme: Unraveling Faith, Politics, and Culture from a Progressive Christian Lens

Episode Overview

In this special "Friendsgiving" live edition, Tim and April dive into the head-spinning political developments of the week—including the jaw-dropping meeting between newly elected NYC Mayor Zoran Mamdani and President Trump. As always, they bring a mix of humor, honesty, and deep reflection to dissecting seismic shifts on the American political and faith landscapes.

The hosts also cover the explosive reaction to Democratic lawmakers urging the military to resist illegal orders and Trump's authoritarian response. The second half features an extended Q&A with live audience questions on deconstruction, family, Christian music, Thanksgiving food, and more. They round it out by reviewing the "We Are Charlie Kirk" viral AI song and its cringeworthy cult of personality implications.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Quick Thanksgiving Life Update & Travel Chat

(03:16–10:50)

• Lighthearted banter: Tim and April riff about the exhaustion and anxiety of prepping for Thanksgiving travel with kids, family, and unpredictable weather.
• Relatability: “I thought that was only me… I can’t sleep in on weekends but I could sleep forever when the alarm goes off for kids or the gym.”
  — Tim (05:48)
• Parent struggles & family dynamics: Jokes about motherly weather warnings, kids vomiting on road trips, and the universal stress of holiday logistics.

2. Episode Theme: Faith, Fun, and… the News Is Wild

(04:36, 04:53)

• "Today's theme is brought to you by the letter F—for 'fun'!"
  — April

3. Main Event: Zoran Mamdani’s Meeting with President Trump

(11:22–20:10)

The Build-Up and Political History

• Both sides (MAGA and the left) had anticipated confrontation, as Mamdani had previously called Trump "a fascist," and Trump returned fire, calling Zoran "a communist."
• Trump and Mamdani share a shockingly cordial Oval Office press conference, leaving both MAGA world and left Twitter in disbelief.

Notable Moments and Quotes

• “My brain, look, we gotta live in the Matrix... this does not make sense.”
  — Tim (12:12)
• Reporter to Mamdani: "Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?"
  Trump cuts in: "You could say yes, it's totally cool.” (13:09)

Both Sides Downplay Previous Attacks

• Trump: Praises Zoran, says "there's no difference in party... we want to help New York," calls him "a really great mayor." (14:07–14:45)
• Zoran: Focus on affordability and shared love for NYC, directly challenges Trump to his face on affordable housing, groceries, and rent.

Analysis:

• The hosts marvel at the surreal reversal: Trump, beloved by the anti-Muslim right, gets cozy with a Muslim socialist mayor.
• Social media’s take: The viral “turtleneck” moment and speculation on whether Zoran cast a charm over Trump (“It's giving... Michael Scott grew a goatee to match Ryan.” — Chat, 16:37)
• April notes: “Maybe we’ve been going about this all wrong. Maybe you just schmooze Trump all the way to the left!” (18:11)

4. Authoritarian Rhetoric: Democrats, the Military, and Trump

(22:27–38:20)

Democratic Lawmakers’ Video to the Military

• Several Democratic Senators/Representatives (all ex-military/CIA) post a viral video reminding military/intel officers they must refuse illegal orders:
  "You can refuse illegal orders... you must refuse illegal orders." (23:17)
• Background: Trump has been deploying federal troops over objections of local city officials.

Trump’s Extreme Response on Truth Social

• Trump (in all caps):
  "This is seditious behavior at the highest level. Each one of these traitors... should be arrested and put on trial. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. Seditious behavior, punishable by death." (30:54–31:48)
• Trump reposts memes: “Lock them up. Seditious behavior punishable by death. HANG THEM. George Washington would.”
• April: “That feels very, very pointed… this is a sitting president telling the American people—what happened to free speech?” (31:50)

Analysis

• Both hosts highlight the jaw-dropping hypocrisy compared to right-wing “free speech” talking points.
• Tim: “It’s a direct violation of the 1st Amendment… the lowest possible bar for presidential standards.”

5. Q&A: Deconstruction, Faith, and Fun

(41:39–63:07)

Key Questions & Bullet Insights

• How do you separate cultural Christianity from your personal spirituality?

  • April: “At the end of the day, my relationship with God is mine and my own. They (evangelicals) don’t get to claim Jesus for themselves.”
  • Tim: “Any religion can be used as a weapon of oppression or a tool for liberation… my allegiance is to Jesus, not to empire Christianity.” (42:44–43:54)

• Telling friends you no longer take the Bible literally:

  • “You can tell them whatever you want, but unless they want to be curious, they’re not going to believe you.” (45:23)
  • April: “Some people don’t need to know certain things. Protect your boundaries.”

• Why do evangelicals support Trump when he’s the opposite of what they espouse?

  • April: “If you are a logical person, you will never understand conservative MAGA Christians… it’s not logical. There’s a lot of indoctrination and cognitive dissonance.” (46:48)
  • Tim: “This is not a bug in the system, it’s the fruit of their theology… Trump is the culmination of the culture we grew up in.”

• Thanksgiving Food Debates: Stuffing vs. Dressing, Canned vs. Homemade Cranberry

  • April: “I call it dressing. I’m from Texas. That’s what we say!”
  • Tim: “It is stuffing! You literally stuff it in the turkey!” (48:02–48:50)

• Relationship to Worship/Christian Music

  • Tim: “There’s a lot of paradox… If the words we sang were lived out, they’d be powerful. But much of worship creates an emotional atmosphere that’s sold as the Spirit.” (52:19–54:29)
  • April: “I used to love it, but the industry is so manipulative and lacks nuance. Now, I know God can meet me at an Incubus concert, too!”
  • Both note the dissonance between the inclusivity songs purport and the exclusion churches often practice—especially regarding Christian nationalism and queer-affirming musicians.

• Trash TV, Relaxing, and Life after Exodus

  • April: “How do I relax? Fantasy novels. Trash TV—Vanderpump Rules, The Bachelor. Just mindless escapism!”
  • Tim: “Anything with Gordon Ramsay, Naked and Afraid… documentaries about Philly mobsters. I’m an unartistic person. Sorry, crafts aren’t for me.”

6. Weird Christian Bleep: ‘We are Charlie Kirk’ AI Song

(69:02–76:14)

• The hosts play and react (with a mix of awe, horror, and laughter) to the viral “We Are Charlie Kirk” AI-generated song, which has been unironically adopted by some far-right Christians as a martyr anthem.

• Memorable quote:
  “It’s just the way they've made him a saint, a martyr... It’s almost cheapening his murder, honestly, because they're making him into this person that he was just not.”
  — April (72:53)

• Tim: “Where are the songs for kids who die in mass shootings? Or the children in Gaza? The right only memorializes those who champion their cause, no matter how bigoted.”

• Follow-up: Memes have arisen, setting the AI song to scenes of “the good old days,” skewering the cult of personality and highlighting the ongoing dangers of Christian nationalism.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You could just say yes. It’s totally cool.”
  — Trump, when asked if Mamdani still thinks he’s a fascist (13:09)

• “If you are a logical person, you will never understand conservative MAGA Christians… it’s not logical.”
  — April (46:48)

• “Any religion can be used as a weapon of oppression or a tool for liberation.”
  — Tim (43:32)

• “That feels very, very pointed. Like, I don't feel that’s out of context.”
  — April, on Trump’s ‘seditious, punishable by death’ post (31:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Thanksgiving Banter & Travel: 03:16–10:50
• Friendsgiving Theme & Opening: 04:36, 04:53
• Mamdani/Trump Meeting Breakdown: 11:22–20:10
• Military/Lawmakers/Sedition Segment: 22:27–38:20
• Q&A – Deconstruction, Faith, and Family: 41:39–63:07
• Weird Christian Bleep (Charlie Kirk AI Song): 69:02–76:14

Tone & Style

• Engaging, candid, and witty. The hosts weave pop-culture, dry humor, and passionate advocacy throughout, making complex issues accessible for listeners of any faith background.
• Occasionally irreverent, always inclusive—a signature of the Tim & April Show and The New Evangelicals’ ethos.

For further info, listener engagement, and support resources, visit thenewevangelicals.com.

Remember: Giving Tuesday is coming up!

End of summary.