The REAL significance of Thanksgiving

It’s November, there is a chill in the air, the leaves are changing color, and we are beginning to think about the holidays just around the corner. Glenn, too, has been thinking of the holidays and our country’s origin as a covenant nation. Glenn has been preparing his audience to recommit to our national covenant, harking back to the Pilgrims' vision of a nation surrendered before God in preparation for Thanksgiving. This got us thinking about the Pilgrims' historic journey and how important and special Thanksgiving is as a holiday.

What makes Thanksgiving so special

Thanksgiving is unique as it celebrates a larger concept, something everyone, regardless of religion, race, or creed, can relate to and recognize—something uniquely American. There is a reason we, as grade schoolers, are taught about the Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving before we are taught about the first English colonies in the New World, like Roanoke and Jamestown. These original English colonies in North America emerged either for economic gain or in pursuit of royal glory. However, the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower and the communities they established went beyond mere colonies; they were the architects of America.

Why the Pilgrims came to North America

If not motivated by gold or glory, why did the Pilgrims make the journey across the Atlantic to settle on a strange and hostile coast? It is important to note, that these were NOT adventurers—young men with strength and experience, nothing to lose and everything to gain—but rather established professionals with families, children, jobs, and everything on the line. This was a dangerous trek in which survival was by no means guaranteed. In fact, the Mayflower had a famously deadly first winter; 44 of the 102 original passengers died from a combination of disease and malnutrition.

Again, why leave in the first place? Many of the Pilgrims were Separatists, a religious group originating from England that was inspired by the Protestant Reformation which was raging on the continent. They believed that reforms to the Church brought by King Henry VIII’s divorce from the Catholic Church and the creation of the Church of England were insufficient, and the only way to correct them was to break away and build a new, separate Church (thus Separatists). But the King couldn’t allow that. He couldn’t allow them to live their lives as they saw fit because it would be a direct challenge to his “divine right to rule." So the Separatists were persecuted, driven out of their homes, and fled across the ocean to fend for themselves in a remote and hostile land. The Pilgrims risked all for a chance to lead their lives in the way they believed God wanted for them.

The Pilgrims faced many hardships during the crossing, including a severe storm that nearly shattered the Mayflower and sent it far off course. This meant that where they landed, Massachusetts, was hundreds of miles away from Virginia, where they had intended to land. This created a problem for the Pilgrims: the documents establishing their rights to be there, in Virginia, and the authorities that governed them, were now void. But these courageous men and women who had just braved the Atlantic to escape the King were not about to limp back to England to grovel at the King's feet and renegotiate their charter, nor would they risk making the turn south towards Virginia around Cape Cod with its dangerous winds and shoals.

So on November 11th, 1620, the pilgrims gathered and decided to write their own charter, and in doing so, began a legacy of self-governance that we can follow to the present day. This new charter, which would eventually be known as the Mayflower Compact, had profound meaning for the Pilgrims, who saw it as an important part of their original mission: to create not only a new Church but also a new nation joined by a covenant with God. The Mayflower Compact would continue to be read at the beginning of government meetings for years, despite it being legally superseded only a year after its creation.

The First Thanksgiving

If you think back to grade school, you probably know where this story goes next. In March of 1621, an English-speaking Wamponaog Native American named Samoset made contact with a Pilgrim named Edward Winslow, and before long, the Wampanoag were teaching the Pilgrims how to survive in New England. That autumn, following a successful harvest, the Pilgrims decided to celebrate with a three-day festival of prayer. They invited their new Native American friends, brought out the pumpkin pie (Well, pumpkins at least. The pie would come in later years.), and the First Thanksgiving was born.

But what did these sojourned souls have to be thankful for? They were forced to flee their homes, their ship barely made the crossing, they landed in the wrong place, half their number died before the year was out, and they were reliant on strangers for their survival. It seems like everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. So why were they so thankful?

They were thankful for their lives and the lives of their surviving friends and family. They were thankful for their relationship with God, which was strengthened not only by their hardships but also by their newfound religious freedom that permitted them to worship God in the way they saw fit. They were thankful for the generosity of strangers, who saw them in their struggles and stretched out a hand (and what are the odds that there was an English speaker among the Native Americans, over 3,000 miles away from England, in an area previously untouched by Europeans? Do you believe in coincidences?) While these things, family, food, and freedom, may seem trivial or basic to many of us here and now, they were everything and more to the Pilgrims. Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to put ourselves in the shoes of the first Americans, look around at all we have, and be full and content with the grace of God.

“And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” —Edward Winslow; (Pilgrim and diplomat) on the First Thanksgiving.

Top FIVE takeaways from Glenn's EXCLUSIVE interview with Trump

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As President Trump approaches his 100th day in office, Glenn Beck joined him to evaluate his administration’s progress with a gripping new interview. April 30th is President Trump's 100th day in office, and what an eventful few months it has been. To commemorate this milestone, Glenn Beck was invited to the White House for an exclusive interview with the President.

Their conversation covered critical topics, including the border crisis, DOGE updates, the revival of the U.S. energy sector, AI advancements, and more. Trump remains energized, acutely aware of the nation’s challenges, and determined to address them.

Here are the top five takeaways from Glenn Beck’s one-on-one with President Trump:

Border Security and Cartels

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Early in the interview, Glenn asked if Trump views Mexico as a failed narco-state. While Trump avoided the term, he acknowledged that cartels effectively control Mexico. He noted that while not all Mexican officials are corrupt, those who are honest fear severe repercussions for opposing the cartels.

Trump was unsurprised when Glenn cited evidence that cartels are using Pentagon-supplied weapons intended for the Mexican military. He is also aware of the fentanyl influx from China through Mexico and is committed to stopping the torrent of the dangerous narcotic. Trump revealed that he has offered military aid to Mexico to combat the cartels, but these offers have been repeatedly declined. While significant progress has been made in securing the border, Trump emphasized that more must be done.

American Energy Revival

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Trump’s tariffs are driving jobs back to America, with the AI sector showing immense growth potential. He explained that future AI systems require massive, costly complexes with significant electricity demands. China is outpacing the U.S. in building power plants to support AI development, threatening America’s technological leadership.

To counter this, Trump is cutting bureaucratic red tape, allowing AI companies to construct their own power plants, potentially including nuclear facilities, to meet the energy needs of AI server farms. Glenn was thrilled to learn these plants could also serve as utilities, supplying excess power to homes and businesses. Trump is determined to ensure America remains the global leader in AI and energy.

Liberation Day Shakeup

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Glenn drew a parallel between Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and the historical post-World War II Liberation Day. Trump confirmed the analogy, explaining that his policy aims to dismantle an outdated global economic order established to rebuild Europe and Asia after the wars of the 20th century. While beneficial decades ago, this system now disadvantages the U.S. through job outsourcing, unfair trade deals, and disproportionate NATO contributions.

Trump stressed that America’s economic survival is at stake. Without swift action, the U.S. risks collapse, potentially dragging the West down with it. He views his presidency as a critical opportunity to reverse this decline.

Trouble in Europe

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When Glenn pressed Trump on his tariff strategy and negotiations with Europe, Trump delivered a powerful statement: “I don’t have to negotiate.” Despite America’s challenges, it remains the world’s leading economy with the wealthiest consumer base, making it an indispensable trading partner for Europe. Trump wants to make equitable deals and is willing to negotiate with European leaders out of respect and desire for shared prosperity, he knows that they are dependent on U.S. dollars to keep the lights on.

Trump makes an analogy, comparing America to a big store. If Europe wants to shop at the store, they are going to have to pay an honest price. Or go home empty-handed.

Need for Peace

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Trump emphasized the need to end America’s involvement in endless wars, which have cost countless lives and billions of dollars without a clear purpose. He highlighted the staggering losses in Ukraine, where thousands of soldiers die weekly. Trump is committed to ending the conflict but noted that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has been a challenging partner, constantly demanding more U.S. support.

The ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East are unsustainable, and America’s excessive involvement has prolonged these conflicts, leading to further casualties. Trump aims to extricate the U.S. from these entanglements.

PHOTOS: Inside Glenn's private White House tour

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In honor of Trump's 100th day in office, Glenn was invited to the White House for an exclusive interview with the President.

Naturally, Glenn's visit wasn't solely confined to the interview, and before long, Glenn and Trump were strolling through the majestic halls of the White House, trading interesting historical anecdotes while touring the iconic home. Glenn was blown away by the renovations that Trump and his team have made to the presidential residence and enthralled by the history that practically oozed out of the gleaming walls.

Want to join Glenn on this magical tour? Fortunately, Trump's gracious White House staff was kind enough to provide Glenn with photos of his journey through the historic residence so that he might share the experience with you.

So join Glenn for a stroll through 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with the photo gallery below:

The Oval Office

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The Roosevelt Room

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The White House

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Trump branded a tyrant, but did Obama outdo him on deportations?

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MSNBC and CNN want you to think the president is a new Hitler launching another Holocaust. But the actual deportation numbers are nowhere near what they claim.

Former MSNBC host Chris Matthews, in an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta, compared Trump’s immigration policies to Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust. He claimed that Hitler didn’t bother with German law — he just hauled people off to death camps in Poland and Hungary. Apparently, that’s what Trump is doing now by deporting MS-13 gang members to El Salvador.

Symone Sanders took it a step further. The MSNBC host suggested that deporting gang-affiliated noncitizens is simply the first step toward deporting black Americans. I’ll wait while you try to do that math.

The debate is about control — weaponizing the courts, twisting language, and using moral panic to silence dissent.

Media mouthpieces like Sanders and Matthews are just the latest examples of the left’s Pavlovian tribalism when it comes to Trump and immigration. Just say the word “Trump,” and people froth at the mouth before they even hear the sentence. While the media cries “Hitler,” the numbers say otherwise. And numbers don’t lie — the narrative does.

Numbers don’t lie

The real “deporter in chief” isn’t Trump. It was President Bill Clinton, who sent back 12.3 million people during his presidency — 11.4 million returns and nearly 900,000 formal removals. President George W. Bush, likewise, presided over 10.3 million deportations — 8.3 million returns and two million removals. Even President Barack Obama, the progressive darling, oversaw 5.5 million deportations, including more than three million formal removals.

So how does Donald Trump stack up? Between 2017 and 2021, Trump deported somewhere between 1.5 million and two million people — dramatically fewer than Obama, Bush, or Clinton. In his current term so far, Trump has deported between 100,000 and 138,000 people. Yes, that’s assertive for a first term — but it's still fewer than Biden was deporting toward the end of his presidency.

The numbers simply don’t support the hysteria.

Who's the “dictator” here? Trump is deporting fewer people, with more legal oversight, and still being compared to history’s most reviled tyrant. Apparently, sending MS-13 gang members — violent criminals — back to their country of origin is now equivalent to genocide.

It’s not about immigration

This debate stopped being about immigration a long time ago. It’s now about control — about weaponizing the courts, twisting language, and using moral panic to silence dissent. It’s about turning Donald Trump into the villain of every story, facts be damned.

If the numbers mattered, we’d be having a very different national conversation. We’d be asking why Bill Clinton deported six times as many people as Trump and never got labeled a fascist. We’d be questioning why Barack Obama’s record-setting removals didn’t spark cries of ethnic cleansing. And we’d be wondering why Trump, whose enforcement was relatively modest by comparison, triggered lawsuits, media hysteria, and endless Nazi analogies.

But facts don’t drive this narrative. The villain does. And in this script, Trump plays the villain — even when he does far less than the so-called heroes who came before him.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Can Trump stop the blackouts that threaten America's future?

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If America wants to remain a global leader in the coming decades, we need more energy fast.

It's no secret that Glenn is an advocate for the safe and ethical use of AI, not because he wants it, but because he knows it’s coming whether we like it or not. Our only option is to shape AI on our terms, not those of our adversaries. America has to win the AI Race if we want to maintain our stability and security, and to do that, we need more energy.

AI demands dozens—if not hundreds—of new server farms, each requiring vast amounts of electricity. The problem is, America lacks the power plants to generate the required electricity, nor do we have a power grid capable of handling the added load. We must overcome these hurdles quickly to outpace China and other foreign competitors.

Outdated Power Grid

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Our power grid is ancient, slowly buckling under the stress of our modern machines. AAI’s energy demands could collapse it without a major upgrade. The last significant overhaul occurred under FDR nearly a century ago, when he connected rural America to electricity. Since then, we’ve patched the system piecemeal, but it’s still the same grid from the 1930s. Over 70 percent of the powerlines are 30 years old or older, and circuit breakers and other vital components are in similar condition. Most people wouldn't trust a dishwasher that was 30 years old, and yet much of our grid relies on technology from the era of VHS tapes.

Upgrading the grid would prevent cascading failures, rolling blackouts, and even EMP attacks. It would also enable new AI server farms while ensuring reliable power for all.

A Need for Energy

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Earlier this month, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared before Congress as part of an AI panel and claimed that by 2030, the U.S. will need to add 96 gigawatts to our national power production to meet AI-driven demand. While some experts question this figure, the message is clear: We must rapidly expand power production. But where will this energy come from?

As much as eco nuts would love to power the world with sunshine and rainbows, we need a much more reliable and significantly more efficient power source if we want to meet our electricity goals. Nuclear power—efficient, powerful, and clean—is the answer. It’s time to shed outdated fears of atomic energy and embrace the superior electricity source. Building and maintaining new nuclear plants, along with upgraded infrastructure, would create thousands of high-paying American jobs. Nuclear energy will fuel AI, boost the economy, and modernize America’s decaying infrastructure.

A Bold Step into the Future

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This is President Trump’s chance to leave a historic mark on America, restoring our role as global leaders and innovators. Just as FDR’s power grid and plants made America the dominant force of the 20th century, Trump could upgrade our infrastructure to secure dominance in the 21st century. Visionary leadership must cut red tape and spark excitement in the industry. This is how Trump can make America great again.