Sunday Special with Nate Smith, Mike Benz, Mike Lee, and Michael Knowles 11/24/24

Summary

Summary of The Dan Bongino Show - Sunday Special with Nate Smith, Mike Benz, Mike Lee, and Michael Knowles (11/24/24)

In the Sunday Special episode of The Dan Bongino Show, host Dan Bongino welcomes a diverse lineup of guests, including country music sensation Nate Smith, Deep State expert Mike Benz, U.S. Senator Mike Lee from Utah, and Michael Knowles from The Daily Wire. The episode delves into a variety of topics, ranging from Nate's inspiring rise in the music industry to in-depth discussions on national security, political appointments, and media credibility.

Interview with Nate Smith: From Healthcare to Country Music Stardom

Overcoming Adversity and Embracing Music

Timestamp [03:26]
Nate Smith opens up about his dramatic career shift from a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) working in hospitals to a burgeoning country music artist. The turning point came in 2018 when a devastating fire destroyed his hometown of Paradise, forcing him to start anew. A friend's timely gesture of sending him a guitar reignited his passion for songwriting, leading him to Nashville.

Nate Smith: "I was down to $14 in my checking account and didn't really have a backup plan... but I ended up somehow signing a publishing deal with Sony and getting a record deal a year and a half later."

Achieving Success and Maintaining Authenticity

Timestamp [05:07]
Nate shares his exhilaration in achieving three number-one hits and signing with Sony. Despite his success, he emphasizes the importance of creating impactful music that resonates with listeners across America.

Nate Smith: "I'm making songs that are making an impact on people in America and trying to be involved."

Balancing Large-Scale Performances with Intimacy

Timestamp [09:29]
Discussing the challenges of performing in massive stadiums versus smaller venues, Nate highlights his preference for intimate settings that retain a personal connection with the audience.

Nate Smith: "I'm just having a blast. And the best part of the show, it's like we're doing this thing together. God, I love America, brother."

Patriotism and the American Dream

Timestamp [12:22]
Nate expresses his deep-seated patriotism and pride in his American identity. He views his journey as a quintessential American story, exemplifying resilience and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Nate Smith: "My story is like an American story, starting from $14, and I'm playing stadiums and all this stuff. It just shows that anything's truly possible in this country, man."

Personal Anecdotes and Fan Interactions

Timestamp [07:50]
Dan Bongino recounts attending one of Nate's concerts where Nate personally acknowledged him and extended an invitation to meet his family post-show. This gesture underscores Nate's genuine nature and connection with his fans.

Dan Bongino: "He shoots me a text. He's like, 'Don't worry about it. Bring your daughter, bring your wife.' And the guy could not have been nicer, folks."

Deep Dive with Mike Benz and Michael Knowles: Unmasking the Deep State and Censorship

The Deep State's Influence on Political Appointments

Timestamp [16:00]
Mike Benz provides an in-depth analysis of how the Deep State is exerting pressure on President Trump's administration, especially concerning nominees like Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth. He discusses the recent withdrawal of nominees like Gates and the potential backlash against remaining appointees.

Mike Benz: "The Gates bombshell today of him dropping out sends a shockwave into the security of other picks that are currently staffing the cabinet ranks."

Hacking and National Security Concerns

Timestamp [16:43]
Benz delves into a recent hacking incident targeting Matt Gaetz's lawyers, questioning the legitimacy and origins of the hack. He speculates on whether it was orchestrated by insiders within the intelligence community or third-party actors, highlighting concerns over national security.

Mike Benz: "There's only two ways that you can be a hacker in this country. You can be a felon or a fed."

International Censorship Laws and Their Impact

Timestamp [20:08]
The conversation shifts to international censorship laws, such as Germany's NetsDG and the EU's Digital Services Act, discussing how these regulations are shaping internet freedoms and impacting platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

Michael Knowles: "They're going to balkanize the U.S. at the State level in terms of the rules of the road for the Internet."

Future Implications and Strategies Against Censorship

Timestamp [26:02]
Benz and Knowles discuss the anticipated backlash from the Deep State and the strategies they might employ to continue enforcing censorship. They emphasize the need for strong diplomatic efforts and potential renegotiations of international agreements to counteract these measures.

Michael Knowles: "We are going to need strong armed diplomacy in order to threaten to fundamentally renegotiate our posture with things like NATO and the EU."

Dealing with Legislative Challenges

Timestamp [30:58]
The discussion transitions to legislative challenges, with emphasis on the REINS Act and budget reconciliation as tools to curb bureaucratic overreach. Senator Mike Lee elaborates on the importance of these measures in restoring congressional authority over budgetary matters.

Senator Mike Lee: "The only way we're going to get this bureaucracy under control."

Exclusive with Senator Mike Lee: Budget Reconciliation and Voter ID Reform

Opposition to the End-of-Year Spending Bill

Timestamp [31:34]
Senator Lee articulates his stance against the proposed end-of-year spending bill, labeling it as a "dereliction of duty" that perpetuates bloated government budgets. He commends House Speaker Mike Johnson for opposing the bill and advocating for a shorter-term spending package aligned with Trump administration priorities.

Senator Mike Lee: "It would be a real breach of trust with our voters... Speaker Mike Johnson has said that that is not what he wants."

The REINS Act and Legislative Reforms

Timestamp [35:16]
Lee discusses the REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny), emphasizing its critical role in ensuring that Congress retains oversight over executive regulations. He underscores the necessity of this legislation to prevent unchecked bureaucratic power.

Senator Mike Lee: "We ought to get back to the point where Congress makes the law because only Congress is empowered to make the law under the Constitution."

Voter ID Legislation and Election Reforms

Timestamp [43:02]
Addressing voter reform, Lee advocates for the SAVE Act, which mandates proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections. He criticizes Democrats for blocking such measures and highlights the importance of safeguarding election integrity.

Senator Mike Lee: "If you're voting in a federal election, you must, upon registering, show some type of proof of citizenship. This is not onerous."

Overcoming Filibuster Challenges with Reconciliation

Timestamp [41:13]
Lee explains how budget reconciliation can be utilized to pass essential legislation without the need for the 60-vote filibuster threshold, outlining the types of bills that can be reconciled and the strategic importance of this approach for advancing the Trump agenda.

Senator Mike Lee: "We are allowed under certain limited circumstances to bypass the 60 vote cloture standard through budget reconciliation."

Conversation with Michael Knowles: Media Credibility and Political Communication

Critique of Mainstream Media and Advocacy for Alternative Voices

Timestamp [46:43]
Michael Knowles discusses the declining credibility of mainstream media outlets like The New York Times and CNN, arguing that their biased reporting has disconnected them from the American populace. He advocates for incorporating alternative media voices into official communication channels.

Michael Knowles: "The media, if they don't have this sister soldier moment soon where they rip the band aid off and just start telling the truth dispassionately, they're not going to have an audience."

The Rise of Podcasting and Dedicated Audiences

Timestamp [50:09]
Knowles emphasizes the shift towards podcasting as a medium that fosters a closer, more intimate relationship between hosts and their audiences. He compares this to traditional media, highlighting the importance of credibility and integrity in building a dedicated listener base.

Michael Knowles: "Podcasting is an a la carte on demand exercise... a dedicated audience that can make things happen."

The Importance of Authentic Communication in Politics

Timestamp [55:21]
Knowles and Bongino discuss the effectiveness of authentic, unfiltered communication styles, exemplified by podcasts and long-form interviews, over scripted television segments. They argue that genuine conversations resonate more with audiences and build trust.

Michael Knowles: "We are not trying to like, date these guys... We're looking for people to enact the Trump agenda."

Final Thoughts: The Intersection of Media, Politics, and National Identity

Throughout the episode, Dan Bongino weaves together conversations that highlight the interplay between media credibility, political appointments, and national identity. By bringing together guests from diverse backgrounds—music, national security, politics, and media—the show underscores the multifaceted challenges facing America today.

Notable Insights and Conclusions

• Authenticity Matters: Both Nate Smith and Michael Knowles emphasize the importance of authenticity—whether in music or media—for building a genuine connection with audiences.

• Guarding Against Bureaucratic Overreach: Senator Mike Lee and Mike Benz stress the need for legislative reforms like the REINS Act to ensure congressional oversight and prevent unchecked power within the executive branch.

• Media Evolution: The shift from traditional media to alternative platforms like podcasts represents a significant change in how information is disseminated and consumed, with implications for political communication and public trust.

• Protecting Election Integrity: Voter ID laws and election reforms are underscored as critical measures to safeguard the democratic process against fraud and ensure legitimate representation.

Memorable Quotes

• Nate Smith:

  "I'm making songs that are making an impact on people in America and trying to be involved."
  [05:07]

• Mike Benz:

  "There's only two ways that you can be a hacker in this country. You can be a felon or a fed."
  [16:43]

• Senator Mike Lee:

  "We ought to do them with an eye toward presumptively confirming them."
  [37:52]

• Michael Knowles:

  "The media, if they don't have this sister soldier moment soon where they rip the band aid off and just start telling the truth dispassionately, they're not going to have an audience."
  [46:43]

Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Bongino Show offers listeners a comprehensive exploration of current political climates, media dynamics, and personal success stories that embody the American spirit. By featuring guests who provide expertise in their respective fields, Dan Bongino fosters a rich dialogue on the pressing issues facing the nation, encouraging his audience to engage critically with the information presented.

Transcript

[Dan Bongino]

Get ready to hear the truth about America on a show that's not immune to the facts.

With your host, Dan Bongino, welcome to Sunday Podcast. This is our chance to play for you some of the best moments from the radio show and some great interviews during the week that you may have missed. If you ever want to check out our show, go to bongino.com go to station finder and see what radio station we're on near you. You'll love it, I promise you. We put a lot of work into the radio show. Check it out. But before that, let me tell you about our first sponsor. Using the Internet without ExpressVPN is like writing an important report and forgetting to hit save. Most of the time you're probably fine, but what if one day your computer freezes or crashes and all your hard work is gone? Every time you connect to an unencrypted network, any hacker on the same network can gain access to your personal data. It doesn't take a lot of technical knowledge to hack someone, and your data is valuable. Hackers can make up to $1,000 per person selling personal info on the dark web. ExpressVPN creates a secure encrypted tunnel between your device and the Internet so hackers can't steal your sensitive data. And best of all, it's easy to use. Just fire up the app and click one button to get protected. It works on all devices, so you can also stay secure on the go. We love ExpressVPN over here at Bongino Inc. Because it's nobody's business what we're doing online. It's only yours right now. You can take advantage of ExpressVPN's Black Friday Cyber Monday sale to get the best VPN deal you'll find all year. Use my special link expressvpn.com Bongino you get four extra months with the 12 month plan or six extra months with the 24 month plan. Totally free. That's expressvpn.com BongIno to get an extra four or even six months of ExpressVPN for free. First up today we talked with country music superstar, our good friend Nate Smith about the music industry, how much he loves the country and five dollar water. This was Jim's idea. You're not going to want to miss this interview, man. I've been dying to get this interview going forever. This guy is such a good, good dude, man. And you know how it's hard to find good people. It really is like good friends. There's just so few of them, Especially in a business like this, where someone's always, like, selling you something or, you know, they want something from you. It's such a good guy. He is a just destroying the country music charts right now. You know? He is. You've heard his new song, bulletproof? You haven't. You need to go download it right away. Download the whole album. California gold want to welcome his show. A good man, country music artist, and hopefully very, very, very good friend of mine, right? My man, Nate Smith. Hey, Nate. Welcome to the show, brother. Good to have you.

What's up, Dan?

[Nate Smith]

That was quite the intro, bro. I appreciate you so much, man.

[Dan Bongino]

You deserve it, you know, So I told the story in the beginning. We're in Houston, right? I get to the concert early. You're opening up for Morgan Wallen. I don't, you know, I don't get to listen to a lot of music, and it's about two years ago, I guess, right? And you're up on the stage, and I'm there with Paula, and you're the opening act there, and, man, you're tearing it up, brother. I look at the cat next to me, I'm like, who the hell's this guy on stage? Nate's up there. He's like. A few months ago, I was driving. Now I'm here talking, singing in front of 40,000 people. I never heard such passion. I went on the radio and talked about it, and he said, that's Nate Smith, man. And I just relive that moment for me, where you go from this life where you're busting your butt, you're struggling, you're a young artist trying to get ahead, and then you're opening up for Morgan Wallen. What is that like, brother?

[Nate Smith]

Man, it is absolutely unreal. It's so hard to really put it into words, but I mean, like, you know, I spent my whole life just kind of backing up a little bit, working in hospitals. So my whole plan was to be a registered nurse. So I was what they call a cna, a certified nurse assistant. And I worked in care homes, hospitals, icu, neurotrauma, all these things. And that's what I was passionate about, was taking care of people and something that I really love doing. And kind of, long story short, my hometown of paradise ended up catching on fire. And sort of like, we lost our whole town pretty much. It was pretty, pretty bad in 2018 and had to start over. And a friend of mine was kind enough to send me a guitar in the mail because I lost mine and started writing Songs again and for a different reason. And seeing people get in touch by this music was so special to me. So it really kind of got me going again, I guess. And then my friends were like, dude, what if we send you back to Nashville for the second time? Because I already did it one time before when I was 23 and I'm a little older now, and it didn't work out so good, and. But they were like, let's do a gofundme. Send Nate back to Nashville. And I got in my car, and I slept in my car many, many nights on the road, moving here. And then essentially I paid my rent, my car payment, and I was down to $14 in my checking account and didn't really have a backup plan. And anyway, so what happened was I ended up somehow signing a publishing deal with Sony and getting a record deal a year and a half later. And just kind of. I'm at three number ones right now. It's just. It's. It's mind blowing, man. I can't even really describe to you what it would. It's like. But it's just cool that I'm making songs that are making an impact on people in America and trying to. Trying to be involved, you know?

[Dan Bongino]

You know, we're talking to country music artists blowing up the charts right now. Nate Smith and just a really, really wonderful guy, man. You want to talk about a patriot who loves his country? His new album is called California Gold Bongino Army. I don't ask you a lot, man. Everybody go and download it. I promise you, you'll thank me later. It is an amazing album. You know, in an album, you get one or two good ones. Not this one. It's just banger after banger after banger. So, Nate, I ask everyone we have on the show in the country music business, I ask them this question. When did you know? Like, damn, we made it. Like, are you sitting in a car in a taxi and your song comes on Morgan? Does Morgan reach out to you and say, I want you to open up? Like, when do you say to yourself, this is it? Like, we've now, you know, we've crossed the red line? Like, this is really cool, man. When was that moment for you, Dan?

[Nate Smith]

I can remember it crystal clear, man. I was sitting in a hotel room, I think, on the east coast, and I was sitting in there, and I saw one of those water bottles that said, $5 if you. If you drink this thing. And I went, you know what? I can do that today. I'm going to drink that $5 water. And I chugged it, man. I chugged it, and I didn't feel bad. Didn't feel bad at all. That was the moment that I knew.

[Dan Bongino]

I don't know.

[Nate Smith]

I don't know if you ever really arrived.

[Dan Bongino]

That is the most relatable story you're ever going to tell. Because, Nate, I've had. I still do that. Like, I'm in hotel rooms now. And listen, where me and you were, we were. You know, we were working stiffs, man. I know what that's like to go 5. I ain't paying no $5 for no Avon water when I'll go drink from the sink. And I still, to this day, I'm like, Damn, $5 water. I. We've all had that experience, brother. That is so relatable. But, Nate, when did. So you're sitting there and you're like, wow. Like, this song, you're. You know, it hits. You're there. When do you get the call from Morgan? Morgan's one of the. I mean, him. Taylor Swift probably pretty much dominate, you know, the music culture now. When do you get that call where he says, hey, I want you to open up for me at concerts? You must have been like, wow, now we're really there. I mean, we're like. We're performing in front of the biggest crowds in the world.

[Nate Smith]

He. He actually texted me, and he. And he was basically just like, hey, man, you know, I just recently had signed with a booking agency called Neil Agency, and they have Morgan. They've got Hardy Earnest, a bunch of people. They got Bailey Zimmerman, good friend of mine, and they basically, like, after I signed there, like, Morgan just texted me. He's like, nate, you know, I'm a big fan of your music, and, you know, would you consider. Would you consider coming on the road with me? I'm like, are you joking? Consider? Like, what do you mean by that? Of course I'll be there, bro.

[Dan Bongino]

That's amazing. We're talking to Nate Smith. The album is called California Gold. Folks, listen, I don't vouch for a lot of people because a lot of people let me down. This guy ain't one of them. This guy is a Nate. I hope I'm not speaking attorneys when I tell a quick story. So we go to the concert not that long ago in Charlotte, and Nate's performance. I don't want to bother the guy, and I just buy tickets, like, any. I'm sitting there in the pit, and Nate's performing. He's crushing it. Bulletproof is on, which is My favorite, Nate Smith. So it's everyone else's too, because it's like one of the most popular country songs in the cosmos right now. So I wish I could tell you I had something unique, but it's in this case. It's good. It's not. Bulletproof's an amazing song. And he sees me, gives me the little, like, head nod, and he shoots me a text. He's like, you know, hey, bro, you want to come back after the show and like, say hello? You know, they have a little trailer back there. I didn't want to bother him because I had a bunch of people with him. He's like, no, don't worry about it. Like, bring your daughter, bring your wife. And the guy could not have been nicer, folks. He's going to take a picture giving my daughter autograph hats. And my daughter had a friend with her, so I'm like, hey, would you mind? What? Oh, yeah, no problem. What's her name? Like, this dude is the genuine article. And Nate, I want you to know, like, that really meant a lot. But let me ask you this. So Bulletproof, right? Bulletproof has been taken over. It's just like rocketing up the charts. Like, do you feel now like you're not performing in the smaller venues anymore? And as an artist, I think, you know, my everybody likes the kind of behind the scenes take. It's gotta be a little different. Like, it's a little more. You do lose a little bit of intimacy, you know, when you're in these, like, kind of small bars and you're struggling, but now you're in big stadiums. Like, how do you still, like, keep the, you know, keep the fire, man, you know, and like, keep it personal, you know what I'm saying?

[Nate Smith]

Totally. You know, it's kind of funny. I'm actually, it's weird. I'm in that phase of my career where one day I'm playing a stadium, the next day I'm doing like a 2000 cap club. So I'm kind of all over the place a little bit. So I get best of both worlds right now, which is really awesome. And, you know, any chance I do like the smaller venues still so much because of just the rowdiness and the honky tonk feel and stuff. So I think we're in a cool spot right now with. Besides the venue that we're at, they're pretty loud. I'm just having a blast. I mean, I don't know if you know this or not, but I'm a very shy person. Believe it or not, and an introvert. And I was for a long time. I would close my eyes the whole time I would sing. I was too afraid to look at people. I couldn't make eye contact with anybody. And the best part of the show, it's like we're doing this thing together. God, I love America, brother.

[Dan Bongino]

Europe. Listen, I go to a lot of concerts now. A lot. I see a lot of people, and you really. You connect different. I mean, you. You and Bailey, you know, Morgan obviously is, you know, the guy, right? But you and Bailey really got a gift, man. I like. The dream team is when you and Bailey open up with Morgan. Those are the concerts. I'm like, I'm definitely going to that one. I send Jeff a text. I'm like, jeff, you got to hook me up, man. I need help on this one, because you guys just tear it up. But for my audience out there, again, they always love a little, like, behind the scenes on this stuff. You know, Most of us don't know what it's like to be, you know, big country music stars. You know, what we do. But what's life on the road like? I mean, that's. It's gotta be tough. I mean, you're. I guess you're.

[Mike Benz]

You're.

[Dan Bongino]

You're living out of your. Your. Your. Your tour bus a lot, and it's gotta be tough, you know? I mean, how do you sleep on that thing?

[Nate Smith]

I struggle really bad. So on the. On the road, I mean, there's a. I have a little back bedroom. It's. It's kind of a bedroom, and. But it's. It's so loud and bumpy during the road, so I usually will sleep in, like, the bunks. I kind of like the bunks. They're a little quieter, and they're in the middle of the bus and everything, but, yeah, it's a struggle, dude. And I mean, you're constantly. You're. You're getting up and you're. You're going. You know, you've got, like, a day full of interviews and day full of different things, but you got to just. I mean, the big thing for me is, you know, when I have my downtime, I completely unplug. Like, I've had this whole week off, been a little under the weather, but just completely unplugged and just recharge, man. So, like, when I get back out there, I have something to give because, I mean, I really feel like, as an artist, personally, like, I'm in. I mean, I'm not just an entertainment Industry. I'm in the service industry. You know, it's the way that I see it. I'm there to serve. I'm there to bring songs that can touch lives. I'm there to, like, love my neighbor, everybody I meet, to hug them and give them everything I got, and I don't want them to ever feel lacked, you know?

[Dan Bongino]

Yeah, Nate, I know. I know you're really passionate about the country, too. I mean, I hear the way you talk about it. I really am. This place, you don't hide it at all. You are a patriot through and through, and I know my audience really appreciates that, too. You make a point to mention it, and you're social. Like, you really. You know, this is the greatest country on earth. There's no mystery there.

[Nate Smith]

It sure is, man. It sure is. And, you know, I'm really happy with the way things are going now, and I just feel like, you know, we're really stepping into a beautiful time, a beautiful era, and I'm just. I'm so proud to be an American, and. And honestly, like, I mean, my story is like an American story, you know, starting from $14, and I'm playing stadiums and all this stuff. I mean, it just shows that anything's truly possible in this country, man.

[Dan Bongino]

Nate, we love you, brother. Bongino army again, I don't. I don't ask you guys and ladies for a lot, but I need a favor, man. Do me a solid. You all go and download this. Your man's album. Nate Smith, He's a good man. He's a patriot album is amazing. I promise you'll thank me for it later. It's called California Gold. California gold. And make sure if you don't download but you stream, make sure you go to Spotify, like hot country, and click the like button on Nate songs. You got bulletproof fix, Read and break. Just amazing songs. This guy is really talented, and I promise you, this guy is the real deal. What a genuinely nice guy. Nate Smith, what an honor to have you on the show, by the way. This is an open invitation. You ever want to come back. My audience, I'm already getting feedback. My audience loves you. You come on anytime you want, my brother. All right.

[Nate Smith]

Just wanted to say thank you so much for having me. Thanks for being a great friend and then all of Dan's Army. I love you guys. Thank you for all the support and for downloading the music. You guys are amazing. Thank you so much, brother.

[Dan Bongino]

You're the best, folks. Nate Smith. Thanks, Nate. We appreciate. What a great guy, folks. I told you, that guy's the real deal, man. And those, those. Those people are hard to find. You may ask yourself, too, you know, damn, why don't we have more interviews like that? You want to know why? Jim will. Jim will tell you why. The reason is a lot of people are fakes and phonies. And we told you, we're not doing any squishes on this show. We're not.

[Mike Benz]

I.

[Dan Bongino]

Listen, I don't need you to share my political beliefs on stuff, on every single thing. I don't. But I need you to love the country and be the real deal. And this guy is man. And that's why I'm asking you for a solid. Nate Smith, California. Gold is the album. Check it out. Coming up next, another great interview, but let's hear from our next sponsor. For those of us holding our breath for the past several months, we can exhale. Work can finally be done on major issues this country is facing. One of the most significant are crushing national debt. The fact is, our nation's deep in the red. That debt's a house of cards that can't quickly be dismantled. So the strategy remains the same. Diversify your savings. That's why I buy gold from Birch Gold. So many things are out of our control, out of our president's control. It's important to have a safe haven for your savings. Birch Gold Group, my gold company, will help you convert an IRA or 401k into an IRA in physical gold. And the best news, it doesn't cost you a penny out of pocket. So Text Dan to 989-898. Get your free info kit. Plus right now through Black Friday, you'll receive a free 1oz Silver Eagle for every $5,000 purchased. Help protect your savings with Birch Gold. Text Dan to 989-898. Claim your eligibility for free silver today. Message and data rate supply. Up next, we talked to Deep State specialist Mike Benz. No one breaks it down better than him. Listen to him about the perils of international censorship and how it actually works coming up here. Well, one of the characteristics of smart, smart people over stupid, smart people is if you're a smart, smart person, you know the outer perimeter of your fence of knowledge and you go and get other people who are smart, smart people in other spaces to fill in those spots for you, those blind spots in your knowledge, in your Dewey decimal system, your library of knowledge. Right? And when I need some insight on the Deep State and some expertise, this is the premier guy to go to. He was with us on election night. He's at Mike Ben's cyber on X. You should follow him, subscribe to his platforms there. It's amazing. Mike Benz, welcome back to the show. Good to have you.

[Michael Knowles]

Great to talk to you, Dan.

[Dan Bongino]

Mike, whenever we need some insight on the deep state, we go to you. I just wanted you to comment on this. First, some of the nominees for President Trump's soon to be administration. It appears that the deep state, the bureaucracies, the NGOs that profit off of censorship and collectivism, socialism style governance, we're really panicked. Obviously forced Gates out. He is left today. But we still got a few hitters in there. We've got people in there like Ratcliffe and others who know where the bodies are buried. I think. What's your take on this? Because people are policy. You and I know that. I wish policy were policy, but it isn't. People are policy. And these are the kind of people that even if you disagree with them, could shake up these deep state bureaucracies.

[Michael Knowles]

You're exactly right. The Gates bombshell today of him dropping out is I think it sends kind of a shockwave into the security of other picks that are currently staffing the cabinet ranks or at least set to between Tulsi, Bobby Kennedy, as you mentioned, ratcliffe, hegseth@dod, all of these. I think there's going to be a similar type of campaign that will be waged to varying degrees between them. I mean, if folks remember it was only 24 hours ago that a hacker hacked into the private communications of Matt Gaetz's lawyers and then leaked that to the New York Times in order to orchestrate this backstab that we apparently are seeing today. There's only two ways that you can be a hacker in this country. You can be a felon or a fed. That is the only people who are authorized to do that sort of hacking and are able to get away with it from this Justice Department is if you work for the CIA, the NSA or the FBI, all other means of electronic hacking are felonies. So how did this hacker, who was this hacker who hacked the lawyers of Matt Gaetz on the eve of this announcement? So that, that I think is an open question that is going to go to the heart of all the other national security related picks. The fact is, is one of the things they are most afraid of with Matt Gaetz is that the entire national security division of the Justice Department contains and is the holder of all secrets of the intelligence community. Folks can look up right now, Mary McCord from the Obama Biden Justice Department talking about how all things related to prosecutions in the intelligence world effectively require the consent and constant interplay of the IC and the Justice Department. Which means the Justice Department head has to be totally on board the blob agenda. This is how they got, this is why Bill Barr and Merrick Garland and Eric Holder and all these others are the sort of legacy AG picks. And Matt Gaetz is a massive outlier to that. But you know, one of the things I'm most concerned about is that I don't think Marco Rubio, for example, has anything to worry about with his nomination passing through. You know, I've mentioned Hegseth, Ratcliffe, Tulsi and Bobby Kennedy, all likely experiencing a significant amount of turbulence on the way to Senate confirmation. If they get there. I don't think Marco Rubio is going to have any problem whatsoever sailing through because his network is essentially the exact network who has been trying to Trump proof Donald Trump's presidency in the run up to Donald Trump's victory. So I don't know what kind of backchannel conversations are happening between Trump and his donors, between Trump and Congress that, you know, that allowed such a pivotal position to freedom on the Internet as well as the entirety of US foreign policy to be, to be run through Rubio. But that is something that I have quite a critical eye on.

[Dan Bongino]

Yeah, I mean, you know, the role in, when he was in the Senate on the collusion hoax and not stopping that earlier has always been pretty disturbing to me. That's been my one, you know, big bet in the bar there. It really bothered me the entire time we're talking to Mike Benz. He's at Mike Benz Cyber on X. I strongly encourage you to follow him if you're concerned about the deep state. If you love it, he's not your guy. Mike, the fight against censorship is the fight right now. If we can't speak, we can't wage a political battle because it's not a battle. It's a one sided asymmetric war where they're shooting at us and we're completely disarmed. But we can't deny the fact, as you know, that the left and this blob of deep staters has been very, very effective over the last few years. Do you think we're starting to turn the corner on this though? I don't want to say who, what company, but I've run into a few major companies at events and green rooms and you know, you know who they are, but you know, I don't want to. They asked me to stay quiet quiet about it. But they're even starting to say to me that a lot of the pressure campaigns they felt before, they're there, but they're dissipating in kind of intensity. And a lot of even the left wing woke boards are starting to say like, hey man, this whole DEI crap, it's really not worth the time and energy anymore. Are you sensing this deep state censorship complex losing its power a little bit. I hope you say yes. I'll be devastated if you say no.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, you're absolutely right, yes, in terms of short term. But there's a recoil on this rattlesnake that is going to be springing back with poisonous fangs over the next six to 12 months. And I'll tell you exactly how that's going to happen because we've been here before. Donald Trump won the 2016 election because of freedom of speech on the Internet. Trump did not get a single legacy newspaper endorsement in the entire country in 2016. Even David Brock, the political hatchet job black ops magician for the DNC, just a week before Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, did this big post mortem with 120 major tech execs and financiers and Soros types blaming the free and open Internet for Donald Trump's election. And not only did Trump win the presidency, but Republicans won the House, Republicans won the Senate, Republicans got to put their Supreme Court picks in. So it was like you could not have a more favorable deck in terms of the political setup. But the fact was is the entire censorship industry was constructed within the United States right under Trump's nose in that case, because of shadow diplomacy abroad and backchanneling with these organizations of an international nature. I mean, I can tell you exactly how it happened. Basically, as soon as Trump won the election in 2016, you had the out of power. Hillary Clinton State Department and John Kerry State Department diplomatic corps take their special set of skills of working with European regulators and Brazilian regulators and officials and Australian and central and Eastern European, and they got one by one, all these countries to pass these international law, to pass these laws that restricted the ability to post on social media. If you were a populist, it started with this German law in 2017 called NetsDG, which required for compliance with it mandatory AI censorship technology that would scan and ban every keyword that was deemed by the German government to be problematic because it was a proxy for populism. They explicitly the shadow diplomacy that was done between the out of power faction of the Blob here in the US with the German government is the reason that these were all implemented at Facebook and YouTube and Twitch and Discord and all that. The entire Internet in the first place. It was for continuity with global markets because they didn't want to lose access to Europe that then tilted into what is now the UK online harms bill in the US and the anti misinformation law in Brazil and now the entire EU Wide Digital Services Act. That is, mark my words, they are not going away on this anytime soon. They are going to do a bifurcated strategy that involves using state laws like what we just saw in Michigan with this new misinformation law that just came out of the Michigan State Senate and like they have been doing in California and Illinois and New York where they have these mandatory media literacy laws now that effectively prohibit access to or the ability to cite alternative news. You can only read blob media there now if you, you're in public school. So they're going to balkanize the U.S. at the State level in terms of the rules of the road for the Internet and then they are going to work with their international partners. The UK Labor Party figures extremely heavily in this. Ker Starmer is the test tube baby born in a lab. Freak mutant of NATO. Anders Frog Rasmussen, the former NATO head, made a special project to get Ker Starmer to replace Jeremy Corbyn there in the uk and the UK Labour Party has taken that incredible power that they have and has metastasized a censorship capacity partially funded by the U.S. i should note, for example, their scan and ban technology for the Metropolitan Police in London is funded by the US Justice Department so that they have a real time heat map of every Tommy Robinson supporter and every Nigel Farage reporter and what they post online that's literally funded by the US Justice Department. They are going to work with the UK and Europe and South America and Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to make sure that every ally of Trump on the international stage is not allowed to rise to power. And they are going to try to make it unprofitable through these global revenue fines like the EU threatens to impose to bankrupt X unless they censor Trump supporters at home.

[Dan Bongino]

Mike, I got a hard 2 minutes left, but is the Trump administration, do you think they know this, the fight against the DSA and these European censorship laws and are they willing to go to the mat and say, listen, you do this to our companies, you got some heavy tariffs coming and we're going to economic war over this. Do you think they know that? I Know a lot of, you know, a lot of people in the transition team, do they have a sense of what's going on? They willing to take it on?

[Michael Knowles]

They've heard this, they've been briefed on it. When they're told of it, they remember it. But the rubber is going to hit the road at the State Department, which is why I come back to Marco Rubio. The State Department, even though only has 35 billion in funding every year, it's not a. It's not one of the most heavily funded ones. It is the orchestra director of the entire panoply of US Soft power projection. And all this censorship work comes out of state. So Marco Rubio is going to need to be the one leading the crusade, the carrots and sticks thrown or offered at Europe to fight back the bsa. He is going to need to coordinate US aid and be an enthusiastic cheerleader to make sure that USAID is on board. US Agency for Global Media also serves the State Department. Rubio is going to need an iron fist with them. Rubio is going to need an iron fist with all the NGOs and the university centers who are wrapped up in this, we are going to need strong armed diplomacy in order to threaten to fundamentally renegotiate our posture with things like NATO and the EU and humanitarianism and treaties and trade agreements in order to fight this thing back. Which is why we need a real soldier in there. And my concern is that Rubio comes from the camp who orchestrated all of this. Rubio is a board member of the International Republican Institute, which has been spearheading these international censorship laws. He's promoted the IRI Beacon Project. He won a Man of the Year award from the iri, which is one of the worst censorship organizations just this year. So his whole career has been funded and pushed by the same forces he now needs to take on. So there's going to be a knife in someone's back at the end of the day here, it's going to be the friends that have helped Marco Rubio along the way, or it's going to be the President of the United States. And time will tell on that.

[Dan Bongino]

Jim, is this guy like a library or what? Mike, really, you are like a human computer with the deep state. It's like amazing how you just boom, boom, you fire this stuff out. Get that on the weekend interview show. We got it. Let's record that after the break. Mike Benz, follow him. He's on exit. IkeBenz Benz, Cyber, you heard it. You're missing out on a PhD level course in a deep state without this guy. Mike, thanks so much for spending some time with us. You're welcome back anytime. We love having you. Thanks a lot.

[Michael Knowles]

Thanks, Dan Tuxen.

[Dan Bongino]

You got it, guys. Seriously, he's like the Dewey decimal system of the deep state. I'm serious. Like, I wrote four books, like four actual books on the deep state. And every time he comes on, I learned something new. Incredible. Gosh, that was a good one. Another great interview. Next. But first, our next sponsor. Hey, check your jawline. Indeed. Listen, sagging jawlines and the double chin, it could give your age away. It makes you look older. Introducing the Genucel skincare jawline treatment with dual peptides and MDL technology. Genucel's most advanced evidence. The jawline treatment not only helps tighten jawlines but plumps the layers of the skin, the contour. Define and sculpt the jawline and neck in minutes. You know, people go abroad, they spend thousands of dollars to get rid of sagging jawlines and double chins. You should try Genucel first because no one has the technology. With Genucel immediate effects, you can see tightening in minutes. The results get better every day. Just in time for Christmas, save over 70% off Genucel's complete skincare package featuring the jawline treatment and Genucel's immediate effect. You'll even get Jenn U sell XV wrinkle treatment included for Christmas and the holidays. Go to jennucell.com dan start looking younger and decades younger for those family get togethers. Genucell.com dan g e n u c e l.com dan as a special holiday gift, every package order includes a bonus beauty box with two skincare bestsellers. You're automatically upgraded to free priority shipping. Jennucell.com danjenusell.com Dan try it out. Paula loves it. Senator Mike Lee came on to talk about the upcoming spending bill and the chances of appointments President Trump of them getting through and getting confirmed. Hear what they're trying to do with this budget. This is really bad. Check this out. You know, we don't do a lot of guests on the show, one segment per show a couple times a week lately we've had a few more though because it's really important to understand the limits of our own knowledge. I'm not in the United States Senate. I'm out here on the radio trying to move the needle politically for the guys who are but one of the good guys up there. Regular guest on the show is Senator Mike Lee from Utah, an avid Constitutionalist and a good friend. Senator Lee, thanks for spending some time with us. We really appreciate it.

[Mike Benz]

Thank you, Dan. It's a pleasure to be with you.

[Dan Bongino]

Always good to talk to you. But before I get to the nominees, there's something you've been focusing on. You are again, an avid constitutionalist and you have been upset for years, since the Tea Party revolution when you came in about the bloated, grotesque government budget. You've been warning people that they're trying to push through an end of the year spending bill that's going to basically blow up the budget even more before the new Republican Senate, House and presidency has a chance. Where do we stand on that? Is it going to go through? And why am I, why aren't I hearing more about this from other Republicans?

[Mike Benz]

Look, it shouldn't go through. We shouldn't be doing it. It's a terrible idea. One of the dumbest things that we could do after being entrusted with the voters with this rare, somewhat unique blessing of having both houses of Congress and the White House under Republican control next year, one of the dumbest things we could do after being given that advantage would be to perpetuate Biden spending levels and Biden spending priorities while the Senate and the White House are still under the control of the Democrats. To move them forward through the end of fiscal year 2025, I think would be a dereliction of duty. I think it would be a real breach of trust with our voters. So I certainly hope not. Now, I take great courage in the fact that House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that that is not what he wants, that he's not going to push that. He is not going to allow it. From what I understand, what he wants is instead a shorter term spending package that will take us into March of next year, allowing us to reset the clock with Trump priorities and Trump spending levels.

[Dan Bongino]

Talking to Senator Mike Lee from Utah, certainly one of the good guys. Senator Lee, I am particularly excited. There's a lot of great stuff going on. You and I have both seen it. Obviously, the victory, the taking back of the Senate, holding the House, all good stuff. We get that. But I'm particularly excited about the potential for the Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy led Doge Department of Government Efficiency, given the recent Chevron ruling that basically dumped Chevron deference, basically saying the law's the law. You don't get to interpret the law to spend more money. I mean, I'm oversimplifying, but I think we can both agree it's generally the point of it. Elon and Vivek have a very rare opportunity right here to advise OMB and get rid of a number of these crazy regulations that have authorized some of this spending. And it'd be really hard to get them back because now you would need actual legislation because you don't have Chevron. This could be a really big deal and an inflection point for our soon to be bankrupt government.

[Mike Benz]

Yes, no, that's exactly right. That would be a good thing. And as to the Chevron deference point, you know, I've never been a big fan of celebration penalties in football. I think the better way of approaching it would be if somebody celebrates early, celebrates when there's no cause for celebration. And I think sometimes people excessively celebrate the demise of Chevron deference. It's good that we got rid of it, but it's not the end. Not even the beginning of the end. At most, it's the end of the beginning. All getting rid of Chevron deference did was to say that the courts are no longer going to give this undue amount of deference to an agency's own interpretation of a statute is charged with administering. It still leaves the underlying problem fully intact. And that's the problem we've got to turn to next. The underlying problem is that Congress since the 1930s has been delegating copious amounts of legislative authority, lawmaking power to unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. Will pass a law saying we shall have good law in Area X. And we hereby delegate to Department Y the power to make and enforce good law that is lawless. It violates both the letter and the spirit of Article 1, Sections 1 and 7. And we've got to get back to the point where Congress makes the law because only Congress is empowered to make the law under the Constitution. The best way of doing that, I believe, is for Congress to pass the REINS Act. R E I M S stands for regulations from the executive in need of scrutiny. And what it says is that anytime there's a new generally applicable federal rule that is tantamount to a law, that Congress has to affirmatively enact it and submit it to the president for his signature or veto before it can take effect.

[Dan Bongino]

We've been talking, you've been on the show before about the REINS Act. Critically important. It's the only way we're going to get this bureaucracy under control. Senator Lee, you're in the Senate. Obviously you have a better take on it than we do. We hear from a lot of people. However, I think the voters are a little bit upset. I mean, to rephrase that, a lot of bit upset because they feel like this was a Trump election, that it was his coattails that unquestionably dragged quite a few senators across the finish line that may not be there. So the voters feel like, well, we kind of gave you a Senate majority because we believe in the MAGA agenda. Now, they're not dumb. They understand the advice and consent role of the Senate. However, unless there's some documented verifiable reason, charges, you know, convictions and things like that, President Trump obviously has a reason for selecting people like Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz and others. We've seen some softening from the moderate I'd call kind of rhino wing of the Senate. However, what's your take on you're not part of that, by the way. But however, what's your take on the Senate feel for some of the more and I use the air quotes here, controversial nominees because that's what the left saying, not it's like Gates, Gabbard and Pete Haig said that their respective role.

[Mike Benz]

As you point out, Dan, some of the initial chatter has calmed down a little bit following those announcements. I think some people reacted a little bit too quickly. But look, at the end of the day, we have to remember that President Trump should be accorded at least the same amount of deference that Joe Biden was accorded. Accorded by many, including a number of Republicans. In other words, Joe Biden got his attorney general pick. Donald Trump should be able to get his. And if people are worried about any particular nominee, whether it's Matt Gaetz or Pete Hes guest or somebody else, they worried about whether they're confirmable, whether there is some reason why they shouldn't be confirmable. That's why we have a review process. We have committees. Those committees have hearings. And so I'm looking forward to the hearing that we're going to have for Matt Gates and the Judiciary Committee on which I sit, the Armed Services Committee will have a hearing on Pete has gotten so on and so forth with the other committees and the other appointments. Look forward to those. We'll be having those in January, as I understand it. We can, we can do those before President Trump sworn in so that we're ready to get them confirmed. But we ought to do this with an eye toward presumptively confirming them. We ought to do them, but especially as Republicans, with an eye towards saying President Trump ought to have his pick if something comes up that makes them untenable. Then we'll address that at the time, but that's what the committee process is for.

[Dan Bongino]

Yeah, well, I agree. We're talking to Senator Mike Lee from Utah. Senator, I think you'd agree, being a kind of outspoken critic of 702 government spying, FISA spying, bloated governments, again, you're probably the most, you and Rand Paul, you know, Ted Cruz are probably the most, you know, avid constitutionalists. I know in the Senate. You know, they failed us on 702 spying last time. The FBI is out of control. And I think it's time that President Trump is given some deference on this. You know, we were just talking about that before, but actual deference, because I think he understands that we need some kind of door kickers this time. We need people willing to break stuff because we're broken now. And the only way to fix it is going to be to glue this thing back together the right way. And picking a lot of old school kind of establishment types not willing to go out there and stir the pot a little bit, you're just going to get the same result. You know, we're just going to get the same failure. And I think that's how my listeners feel. I get a lot of feedback from them.

[Mike Benz]

Dan. I couldn't agree more. And that's why we've got to get reformers in there in each of these positions that touch features like FISA 702, where we've seen so much abuse by the FBI and somewhere else where. But a lot of the FBI, of the authorities under FISA 702, we cannot do this the same way we've done in the past. It'd be a grave disservice not only to President Trump and to those close to him who, like him, have at times become the victim of abuse of these types of authorities. But the American people as a whole, we'd be doing a great disservice to all of them to just pick somebody who's going to perpetuate that same problem. President Trump wants, and frankly deserves genuine reformers who will go in there, figure out where the problems are and pull the problem out by the roots, making sure that it doesn't happen again. You know, it was about a year ago when we were having a robust debate over the need for a FISA 702 reform. I wore out my ex account on my handle talking about all the reasons why it was so bad, what we ended up adopting, because what we ended up adopting was a series of fake reforms. It was a, it was a fig leaf and we need real reforms this time. And I think that starts with personnel and needs to culminate with legislation.

[Dan Bongino]

Well, I love your ad based Mike Lee account, Jim, and I get a kick out of it. We like you. And based John Roberts over at Fox based John Roberts has been tearing it up too. But base Mike Lee is a must follow Twitter account. You were all over 702. We appreciate it was an issue mattered a lot to me. We had Speaker Johnson on the radio about it. He came on, we had a pretty fiery debate about it. But I, the First Amendment means what it says. And I'm just, you know, and I'm just really, really upset at the way that whole thing went down. Let me ask a question. I get a lot from the audience and you, I know you'll explain it better than I do. How can we move legislation via reconciliation? You know, we obviously still have the filibuster which the Democrats want to get rid of now. They love it. Again, of course, the 60 vote threshold. How. What can we do by reconciliation? The Trump tax cuts, obviously we did that last time, but what else can we do? Or is the entire Trump agenda going to be stymied because we're not going to. We only have 53. We're going to be vote shy.

[Mike Benz]

Yeah. So glad you asked about this. Reconciliation, of course, is shorthand for a term known as budget reconciliation. We're allowed under certain limited circumstances to bypass the 60 vote cloture standard, the filibuster standard through which most substantive legislation must pass. The important thing to remember with budget reconciliation is that you've got to find something that is primarily budgetary, budgetary, and it's not overwhelmed by the policy implications of it. We've learned over the years how to draft things so as to make them potentially reconcilable. We're looking forward to a very aggressive debate and discussion about what we put in there. I would like to see a lot of things. We know we're going to have to do at least one reconciliation package that will deal with the extension of the Trump era tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and jobs act of 2017. But I believe that we are actually going to need to do two reconciliation bills probably in 2025. And the other one is going to need to include a lot of things, including funding for things like border security, including some very aggressive regulatory reform, which could and I believe should include at least as many elements of the Reins act as we can move in there. Anything that we can identify a firm budgetary connection with has A decent chance of being put in there. And we're working on those priorities right now. A lot of research is going into it as we speak.

[Dan Bongino]

Mike. Senator Mike Lee, last question for you. We'll let you go. Another question we get from our listeners all the time. They are absolutely adamant. We've got to clean up this broken election system. What are the chances of getting a voter reform bill, things like voter ID for federal elections? What's the atmosphere up on Capitol Hill and the appetite for that?

[Mike Benz]

Okay, the appetite for it has been strong. It's been made stronger by what we've seen in this election year. Remember, Dan, it was just a few months ago when I came on your show to talk about the need for the SAVE Act. The SAVE act is bill that I introduced in the Senate. Chip Roy's got it in the House. Very simple set of requirements. It says if you're voting in a federal election, in order to do that you must, upon registering, show some type of proof of citizenship. This is not onerous. This is the same type of proof. In fact, it's easier under the SAVE act to do than what everyone has to do anytime they start a new job. You've got to fill up the i9 form and and produce proof of citizenship. You ought to produce some sort of citizenship proof when you register to vote in a federal election. And I believe that the Democrats acted in bad faith and opposing that, they blocked it. They wouldn't let it move forward because they said it was unnecessary because they insisted over and over again non citizens don't vote. Well, how do you know that? Well, because they can't vote. What do you mean? Well, because federal law currently prohibits it. Yeah, but federal law makes it almost impossible to enforce. And they never answered the question. They just doubled back down on saying non citizens don't vote. We've now found so many instances of non citizen voting, it's going to be impossible for them to deny that. So we got to use that same enthusiasm in the next Congress to get this thing passed. While we're at it, I think we ought to slap on some other requirements. If you're voting in a federal election, you also have to produce some sort of photo ID as you're casting your vote so that you can't cheat. While we're at that, I think we ought to consider having a national election day rather than an election season. Vote counting that goes on in late November is called fraud.

[Dan Bongino]

You would make my audience's day if those three things went through. Senator, I ran over a little bit but it's always a pleasure and honor to have you. Senator Mike Lee from Utah. Thanks so much for your time, sir. We appreciate it.

[Mike Benz]

Pleasure is mine. Thanks so much, Dan.

[Dan Bongino]

You got it. That is. Man, we fit a lot in there, Jim. Voter ID, FBI, 702, budget reconciliation, tax cuts that was stacked. Finally, one of the great voices on culture and politics and a podcast I really enjoy. But first, our next sponsor. Hey, you having trouble sleeping or staying asleep? Listen, I've been there. It's not just about feeling tired the next day. It's about the toll poor sleep can take on your life. But guess what? There's hope on the horizon. Beams Dream Powder. They sent me something to try a long time ago. It was a total game changer for me and my sleep. Seems we're sleeping well. We're sharper, more focused and ready to tackle whatever life throws our way. Other sleep aids can cause the next day grogginess. But Dream contains a powerful all natural blend of reishi, magnesium, L theanine, apigenin and melatonin. Help you fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed. There's never been a better time to finally try Dream Shop their cyber sale and get up to 50% off when you visit shopbeam.combongino. you've been hearing me rave about Dream all year. It's your chance to finally try it for the lowest price of the year. So head on over to shop.combongino for up to 50% off. That's shopbeam.combongino for up to fifty percent off. Michael Knowles has his own show. He's from the Daily Wire. He joined us to talk about the fallout from the election and what we can do to look forward to January, what we can do in the meantime. So check this out, man, I love this guy. He's such a talented host in his own right. He works over at the Daily Wire where they've got a great crew. His show is incredible. My, my wife and my crew love his show as well. His name is Michael Knowles. He's been on the show before. You should check him out. Michael Knowles, like no, Les. Great show, Michael. Thanks for coming back to the show. Really appreciate your time.

Dan. Always a pleasure to be with you, especially during this very celebratory couple of weeks.

It's been amazing and you're one of the few. You know, like you, I don't really have a ton of time. I'm usually putting together my own show. But you're one of the few shows I Do listen to and take the time to listen to because it's really terrific. Because I think you have a very kind of sober analysis of what's going on. I think you're one of these guys who understands the political trench warfare, that this isn't like a Tinder dating contest with these people. A large majority of America, including every single swing state, just voted for Donald Trump and his judgment about the direction of America. You know, we're not trying to like, date these guys, right? Like Tulsi Gabbard or Hegseth or. We're looking for people to enact the Trump agenda and measuring by the response of liberal heads exploding. I think he's got a plan here and I'm on board.

Absolutely, Dan. The picks have been excellent so far. Trump is obviously coming right out the gate, moving very quickly because President Trump recognizes this is a once in a generation opportunity to reset the relationship between citizen and the federal government. Obviously, there's this new department, the whimsically named Doge, led by Elon and Vivek, that endeavors now, in Elon's words, to cut some 329 federal agencies with overlapping responsibilities and a ton of waste. So that's varying, exciting. And then on the flip side of it, I think this mandate also offers President Trump an opportunity, once in a generation at least, to redefine the relationship between the citizen and the press. You think that Kamala Harris lost this election? You think Joe Biden lost this election? I think some of the biggest losers in this election were the New York Times and the Washington Post and CNN and MSNBC and the desiccated old, dishonest media that have even admitted, admitted that new media are the future. It's the podcast election, according to the Washington Post. And I think President Trump could capitalize on that and fundamentally change the way that the press wields its corrupt power in this country.

We're talking to Michael Knowles. He has his own show, the Michael Knowles Show. I strongly encourage you to check it out. It's worth your time. It's one of the few on my shelf. They say there's a shelf, the podcast shelf. Everybody has one. It's like five shows max or so. You're. You're on my. Michael, you just. You said something there. It kind of sparked my interest. You know, I love the parallel economy and the free speech ecosystem, but I know when you first started doing this and when I did, when I say this, I mean podcasting, forget the radio show for a minute, but everybody laughed. Matter of fact, when I Started my podcast in 2015. I remember someone saying to me, what happened? You couldn't get a radio show? Well, now I have both, which is kind of funny, but everybody laughed and they thought it was really stupid. But I think guys like you and me who were kind of first movers, the old business school, first mover advantage, you know, we understood that podcasting is different than radio or cable tv. I love them all. I've done them all. I had a cable TV show as well. But you know better than anyone, it is an a la carte on demand exercise. So if someone goes to Spotify and hits play on the Michael Null show, they want to be there. They had to do a volitional act to hitting play. It wasn't forced on them in an airplane. It wasn't the only cable news host on that night. They did it on purpose. So when you get 100, 200,000 people tuning into the Knowles show, that's a dedicated audience that can make things happen, man. It's the concentrated interest, diffuse cost theory. That's a concentrated interest.

That is such an insightful point because it shows you, and this is something that President Trump has done in spades over the last eight or nine years now. It shows you that a communicator can have a really close, intimate relationship with an audience because the audience has to go out there every day and choose to listen. And so that means that you need to have credibility. It means that you need to have integrity. It means you need to call it like you see it and be a real person. This is why the Joe Rogan interview with President Trump for two hours or three hours, however long it was so much more captivating than some canned television interview that President Trump could give, because you were seeing the real man in a free flowing conversation weaving, as he used to say. And so now I look in 2024, after the American people, the vast majority of the American people actually, including the popular vote, gave President Trump this mandate. I'm looking around the White House press room and I'm asking myself, why is CNN in the front row? I'm asking myself, why does MSNBC have a seat at all, really? MSNBC might be sold for parts in a month. CNN had 13.3 million viewers in primetime in 2016. They have something like 800,000 now. And there's two reasons for that. One, it's just technology changes. As you point out that you saw it happening. You were an early adopter, and so who's laughing now? People would laugh at you then, but who's laughing now you're at the forefront of media. But the other reason is that the CNN and the New York Times especially and the Washington Post and the rest of them have really tarnished their credibility. I look at the New York Times, the New York Times called President Trump a liar. They ran a so called fact check because President Trump said that FEMA was discriminating against Trump supporters during the Hurricane Helene cleanup. And then what happened? Daily Wire obtained documents from FEMA proved that FEMA was discriminating in Hurricane Milton. And then the supervisor who was fired came out and said actually it was happening during Helene too. So I look at that and I say I have to ask myself, if I'm in the White House press office, why does the New York Times have a press pass at all? With that kind of lack of credibility and with that kind of waning influence, why doesn't a representative for Joe Rogan have a seat in the press room? Why doesn't Tim Cast or Dan Bongino or who know, you know, it would be nice to see Dan Bongino in an even bigger role in the White House. But why, why don't, why doesn't the White House press strategy reflect the way media actually exists today?

Yeah, brother, I agree with you 100%. I mean, why, why is it, why doesn't he get a Daily Wire seat, Daily Caller, Breitbart, you know, Megyn Kelly's operating. I mean, like you said, rogue Rogan, Tim Pool, another one with a massive audience. You know, Charlie Kirk has his own enterprise over there. You know, the difference between us and them, Michael, us and them being the New York Times, Washington Post and this liberal media ecosystem out there is we've been right. I mean, not about everything, but our track record batting average in this sport of politics is probably 7, 800. There's seriously is about 100. I mean, every major story they got wrong, the collusion, hoax, the Hunter laptop, the Spygate thing, I mean, everything from the Nikki Haley Drape story, Mike Flynn with the Russian context, I mean, nothing they said was correct. And I think that's why Gutfeld pointed out on the Five last night, like the media, if they don't have this sister soldier moment soon where they rip the band aid off and just start telling the truth dispassionately, they're not going to have an audience. There's not much there.

Well, Dan, I'm not saying it just because I'm talking to you. You just mentioned the Spygate story. But think about this. Think about 10 years ago, you Ask, okay, who's more likely to get the details of a major news story correct? The New York Times, the Washington Post, cnn, the entire establishment media, or a former Secret Service agent, One guy with a podcast and a radio show, who's more likely to get it correct? And there's no question you got that correct. And so at a certain point at, like, Lucy with the football, how many times are we going to keep waiting for the establishment media to correct themselves? I just don't see any reason to do that. You know, the White House press office, it's not as though that began under George Washington or something. That's a relatively recent creation. It's changed over the years. The purpose of it is to communicate what's going on at the White House to the people and also to get serious questions from the media. But I think the majority of the American voters showed us in this election that they don't believe the New York Times, they don't believe the Washington Post. They, you know, across demographic groups, across the Rust Belt and the Sun Belt, they've turned to something that is different. And so, you know, we've complained for years that the press is really at the vanguard of a corrosive and corrupt system. Well, I think that the reason they're running scared right now, the reason you're hearing about the View, trying to add it, finally, a pro Trump voice. The reason MSNBC might be on the chopping block is because finally technology and the voters have caught up to them and they really have nowhere to turn.

Yeah, I was shocked to see that the View, looking for a pro Trump way. You know who they'll pick, right? They'll pick some, like, ridiculous, like, oh, John Bolton's our new, like, whatever, man, like me. But we don't want swampies. We want actual people who understand the Trump movement. I want to get your opinion on this. Talking to Michael Knowles. He has his own show, the Michael Knowles Show. Check it out. It's definitely worth your time. I've said forever that, listen, Trump ran a pretty standard conservative presidency the first time, and I don't mean that as an insult. I just asked people to go back and look. We had tax cuts, a good thing. Abraham Accords, great thing. Some pretty good judicial appointments, not just at the Supreme Court level, but circuit appeals, you know, a couple turkeys here and there, but that happens. But a lot of good things happen. Regulatory reform, but pretty standard conservatism stuff. Right, Anchor? Conservatism stuff. I think his lasting gift to this party has been, is unexplainable to me ability, because I don't get. If I could, I'd bottle it and sell it to other politicians to break through and give us the first racially depolarized election. His ability to break through to, you know, Mexican voters, Ecuadorian voters. I hate the term Hispanic because there's Colombian voters, Dominican voters, Puerto Rican voters, black voters, Jamaican voters. Racially depolarized despite the onslaught of false allegations of racism. I'm telling you, man, is going to be this guy's lasting gift if. If the Republican Party doesn't blow it.

Yes. If the Republican Party doesn't throw out every lesson that this guy has taught us over the past decade, this really could be lasting because the popular vote should not matter as a matter of the law. That's not how we elect presidents. But it does matter. And the reason it matters is that after President Trump's landslide, there's no argument they can make. They can't say that it was undemocratic. The majority of voters voted for Trump. They can't say that Trump appealed to white supremacists. You're telling me one in five black guys is a white supremacist? 46% of Hispanics. You can't even tell me he's appealing to sexism. Trump won the majority of married women, and he won 40% of women under 30, according to AP exit polls. So the breadth of this coalition was so impressive. And it's because President Trump, you mention a kind of standard, you know, Republican administration and how Trump is mixing that up. Now, Trump understands that politics is the art of inclusion, it's the art of the possible. It's the art of the second best. And so you can bring in people who have really divergent views if you put them in the right place. He would joke on the campaign trail. He said, we love Bobby Kennedy. We love him on health, we love him on Big Pharma, we love him on food. We all love him on energy. We're going to put someone else in charge of energy. We all want him getting rid of oil and natural gas. And so he's putting Kennedy in the right space. You think of Vivek Ramaswamy, Vivek, so unbelievably talented. Great. That he's part of this coalition. Now. Vivek disagrees with some of the Trump advisors on tariffs. Okay, where are you going to put Vivek? You're going to put him over there with Elon, cutting that red tape, tearing up those government agencies, doing what he does best. Trump really knows how to cast, you know, I mean, he was a top TV producer and talent for a dozen years. And so I think to your point, getting back to the beginning, Dan, these appointments have been good, not just for the people that Trump is putting up, but I think he's really putting them in their proper place.

Talking to Michael Knowles. Michael, unfortunately, I gotta run, but you just, you know, you brought up another interesting point. I'm gonna probably readdress after the break. I love all the ridiculous accusations against Trump, too. That is a loyalty test. Yeah, there is a loyalty test. His agenda. Not to him. The people. Because I only bring this up because the people you just mentioned, they have one thing in common to our listening audience. What if Vivek Ramaswamy, rfk, Marco Rubio, and Tulsi Gabbard all have in common, they all ran against Trump either as Democrats, independents, or it said. That's some freaking loyalty test, bro. Loyalty test. Here's a few people you just. You mentioned those names, and in my head I'm thinking, this is such a brilliant point because you landed that plane perfect. Don't tell me there's a loyal loyalty Ted. There's a loyalty test to the freaking agenda. Just be honest about it. You know, and I know that's. That was perfect, man. You set me up perfect. Michael Knowles. Check out his show. It is one of my podcast shelf must listen to every single day. It's available everywhere. You get your podcast and send my best to the boys over there at the Daily Wire. We love you, man. Thanks for coming on. We appreciate it.

Dan, a pleasure as always. Thanks so much.

You got it. What a great guy. And I mean a super ridiculously nice guy in person. I mean, almost like you're like, what am I doing wrong? I got to be nicer. I'm like. It would meet me in person. I'm usually in a bad mood. I'm like the grumpy old man. Jim's shaking here. Come on. You know it's true. Not to people. I'm never mean to people. Ever. Ever. Only one person ever. But it was for a different reason. I'm usually pretty well, sometimes. All right, whatever. I better get out of story because myself. More trouble. Thanks for listening to the podcast. Make sure you tune into our show live every Single weekday at 11am on [e-mail] bungino. It's free. You can watch it on demand at any time and give us a follow on Apple podcasts and Spotify. The Dan Bongino show. We really appreciate you being here. See you on Monday. You just heard Tan Pongino.