Why Glenn invited himself to the Freedomworks 9/12 Grassroots Summit

Adam Brandon, president of Freedomworks, joined Glenn on radio Friday, to tell listeners how they can begin to network with other like-minded activists to help fix our country. Freedomworks will hold a 9/12 Grassroots Summit in Orlando, Florida on Saturday 9/12, where Glenn will be speaking along with GOP presidential candidates, members of Congress and other political influencers.

During the interview, Glenn pointed out he felt so strongly about this event, he actually invited himself to be a part of it.

"If my memory serves me right, I asked you if I could come. And I want the audience to know that," Glenn said.

While admitting he often says, "I'm done with politics" on air, Glenn said it's critical we actually stay engaged.

"It's really easy for us to say, 'I'm not going to be engaged.' But we are actually winning," Glenn said.

Listen to the full interview or read the transcript below.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: Adam Brandon is with us. He's from FreedomWorks. I wanted to give him a couple of minutes here to talk a little about the 9/12 Summit that we're doing tomorrow, or that he's doing tomorrow and I'm a part of. They graciously asked me to attend. And the people that are coming. So, Adam, what's the key to tomorrow?

ADAM: Well, thanks for having me on, Glenn. I'm excited to see you. You've had one busy week. Events in Washington, events down in Florida. Jeez, where are you going next, my man?

GLENN: I know. On Sunday, I'm doing three other events as well. So it's been good though. I get to see a lot of people.

ADAM: Yeah, it is. And that's the thing. There's a lot of people that want to see you. Because we're dealing with a lot of very important issues. And I do have to applaud you for going to Washington and taking a stand on hyping the awareness of the problem with this around you. I know it's not on the FreedomWorks issue set, but pat on the back to you and to everyone else that did that that day.

GLENN: I will tell you that the people that were there are the Tea Party people. And I don't know if the politicians -- even some of the good ones, you know, I don't judge them. They're just so far out of -- they're so far away from where the people are, that they just don't -- I don't think they even really get it. So, Adam, what is coming? And what are we going to learn tomorrow?

ADAM: Well, that's the perfect segway. Earlier in the year, we knew that tomorrow was going to be 9/12. We knew we had to do something to commemorate that march that we did years and years ago that some estimates as high as 2 million people marched on the National Mall. And that was kind of the coming-out party for both FreedomWorks and the Tea Party movement. And we wanted to do something to kind of show progress. Because it's very easy to look around at all these problems and say, "Hey, we're doing all this work. We've been in the streets. We've been in elections. We've been on the phone. What's the progress?"

So we wanted to have a day where we get everyone together to kind of fire people back up and show, "Look, there is progress." So we're going to come together, kind of celebrate that march and kind of show -- you mentioned the politicians. We are going to have a bunch of them on that stage tomorrow. Members of this House Freedom Caucus. This is the caucus that has given Boehner all the problems. There was a headline last week showing that John Boehner knows he doesn't have the votes to survive a vote of confidence. He could be removed. John Boehner might not make it out of this Congress.

GLENN: Go ahead.

ADAM: It's people like Congressman Mark Meadows, talk about courage. Ron DeSantis. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. This is the hit list for the establishment. But none of these guys -- none of these guys wouldn't have been in office if it wasn't for your listeners and if it wasn't for this movement that we all created.

GLENN: And I will tell you this, that I am meeting -- and I want to talk to you off-air tomorrow a bit about some guys that I've met in the last few weeks that are so far under the radar. They are not guys -- and what really gives me hope, they don't want the publicity. In fact, they told me some things that they were doing. They were like, "Don't talk about this. Please don't talk about this." And I said, "But that's really inspiring." And they're like, "Don't talk about it. I don't want the publicity. I don't want anything. They'll never see it coming." And there are some things on people that the Tea Party has put in, they are not stopping. They're not sleeping. There's some really good people and some dramatic things on the horizon. Would you agree with that?

ADAM: I 100 percent agree with it. And I fall prey every day to talking about presidential politics. When there are about 30 members of Congress -- and we all know Mike Lee. We all know Ted Cruz. We all know Rand Paul. But these 30 members of the House Freedom Caucus. And I hope everyone who is listening who has never heard about the House Freedom Caucus, Googles it, learns about it, and supports those folks because this is that thin red line in the House of Representatives.

GLENN: It is.

ADAM: And we need to grow that thin red line. And folks tell me, "Hey, Adam, let us -- you know, we want to do our work quietly." But I'm sorry, I'm going to the top of the roofs and scream their praises for the work that they're doing because I know it's lonely, it's awful, and it's horrible. And they're doing it. They're going to Washington and they're doing it. It's not enough yet. It's not critical mass yet. But that's why we want to get together tomorrow in Florida to celebrate our movement and to show those guys some love and respect and give them courage to keep going.

GLENN: Yeah, I will tell you this, I -- I'm not going to shout their name from the rooftops, the few that I want to talk to you about them. Because I don't even know if you know what's going on in some of these things. I'm sure you do. But I am so encouraged by what I see behind the scenes. And out of these 30 guys, let's say in Congress. They're the ones -- I don't think the average American understands how close we are to eviscerating the G.O.P.

ADAM: Yes.

GLENN: I don't think they have any idea. They see the G.O.P. -- well, the G.O.P. is winning. The G.O.P. is winning. The G.O.P. is winning. And they don't look afraid. But I'm telling you, they're about to be done. They're about to literally be finished as a party if they don't get their own leadership out of the way and change their ways. And I don't think the average American feels that yet.

ADAM: No. And I think it's -- there's always -- I always love that saying "the Stone Age didn't end because they ran out of stones." And I think the G.O.P.'s age, the old establishment's age, they have all the trappings of the power that they used to have. But all those television ads they used to run and the committee chairs they used to control and the lobbyist state dinners, none of that has the effect that it once did because you've got these congressmen who are going to Washington -- Tim Hill's camp, who will be speaking from Kansas, votes against bloated agriculture subsidies. In Kansas. And he's got two establishment challengers already. And we either step up as a movement to protect him, to support him, to keep him elected, or the old guys will take -- you know, get one of their own back in there. So it will be a fight from coast-to-coast. Not just the presidential race. Not just Senate races. And there will be a bunch of doozy Senate races. But we have to make sure we protect these 30 members of the House Freedom Caucus and grow their ranks.

GLENN: Well, I will tell you, I don't think you guys asked me to be a part of this. If my memory serves me right, I asked you if I could come. And I want the audience to know that. If you're listening and you're anywhere in the Orlando area, I asked to come to this because while I say on the air I'm done with politics, I'm done with politics, I want you to know, this is critical that we actually stay engaged. It's really easy for us to say, "I'm not going to be engaged." But we are actually winning. You know, that seven stages of a movement, we're at that seventh stage where you think you've lost and you're about to fall apart.

ADAM: Right. Right.

GLENN: The next stage is, "Surprise, you've won." But we have to do the things that we need to do for this next election. We can't just get frustrated with big government progressives in the G.O.P. leading in the polls. We need to understand, we're still a long way away. And there's a lot of hearts and minds to be changed. And there's a lot of mistakes to be made by all of these candidates yet.

ADAM: We're going to be talking about -- Steve Moore, who joined Freedom Works recently, is going to be talking about a very pro-economic growth agenda. And one thing that is scary to me, throughout our history, basically since the Pilgrims, we've grown at about three and a half percent per year, on average. And now we're growing at about one and a half percent, 2 percent. And that's not good enough. This is why America's middle class has not seen a raise in 25 years. We need to grow as a country.

And the only reason we're not growing is the regulations, is the bureaucrats, is Washington, is Obamacare. You could go down the list. And that hurts people. The people that have been hurt the most in this in the last few years are single mothers, they're black Americans, young Americans. The very people who got Barack Obama elected have been the ones who have been hurt the most in this nongrowth era. And so let's take that positive pro-growth vision and message to all corners and all parts of our society.

GLENN: You know nobody looks at it this way, but I've been in so many churches over the last six months, and I'm speaking at three churches -- or, two services and another church. So two different churches just this Sunday in Tampa. And what amazes me is nobody looks at it this way, but the churches aren't really hurting for money. The churches are able to build these great buildings. They're able to change neighborhoods. I mean, it was just in Houston, and I was talking to all of the politicians and all of the firefighters and all of the people in Houston, and that one church, where they had that service in Houston last week, that one church has fundamentally changed the way services are required and passed out through the local government because the church just took it. And why are the churches growing in money and ability? Because they're the least regulated. You can't regulate.

ADAM: Right.

GLENN: So when a church says, "I want to fix something in our community," they just do it. The reason why we're having these problems is because everything else in our society is overregulated and overtaxed. And so you don't have the ability to do anything.

ADAM: No.

GLENN: If we would just start to get our own country, our own private industry and our own private households closer into line to where the churches are, where they're not asking for permission, they're just doing it, we could fix the problems.

ADAM: Just do it. Here about this economy right now. We have some of the lowest levels of entrepreneur start-ups in our history. When you look at the trends. When you look at the labor force -- it is, since the 1970s, the lowest level of labor force participation. This affects people's lives. We're talking about opportunities and dreams that are not happening because the bureaucracy is growing. And these guys in the House Freedom Caucus get it and they're fighting it every day.

And I think that's one of the reasons we did that march back in -- five, six years ago on 9/12, was because people just wanted to unleash American prosperity. They just wanted to, let's go back to our core principles that made us great. And I see the hope. And as you travel, you see the hope. But we have to do it together, in the sense, you got to get together with your church, your neighbors. And that's why it's important to do these events like we do every once in a while, just so you can also feel that fellowship, walk in there with a few thousand people who think and act the way that you do and believe in this country and get fired up and go be an evangelical in your own community about how great America is.

GLENN: Thank you very much, we'll see you tomorrow.

ADAM: All right. Can't wait.

GLENN: If you'd like to attend. Go to 912summit.com. 912summit.com. The Orlando area at the arena here -- I think it's in Orlando. Where is it? Yeah, in Orlando. So come on out and join us. And you can find out all the information at 912summit.com. That's tomorrow. Then I'm also going to be speaking at Crossing Church. That is Sunday. And I'm going to be speaking at the 8:30 service and the 10:30 service at Crossing Church in Tampa. You can find out the information on that. And then at 4:00 p.m. -- I think it's at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon. And I don't even have the location, but it will be up at GlennBeck.com. And I'm speaking at an LDS steak center at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. And you're welcome to attend either one of those. But that's this Sunday. If you're anywhere near the Florida area, I would love to see you. And find out all the details on all those activities this -- for this weekend at GlennBeck.com.

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

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In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

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We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

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Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

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Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE