RADIOSeptember 22, 2023

Did the CIA BRIBE experts to dismiss COVID lab leak theory?

It's been nearly 4 years since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and we still don't have a consensus on where it came from. But recently, a whistleblower has claimed to Congress that the CIA bribed experts to suggest that COVID-19 didn't come from a lab. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, who chairs one of the subcommittees the whistleblower has spoken to, joins Glenn with the latest. According to the whistleblower, 6 of the 7 people on the CIA's COVID discovery team believed the virus came from a lab, but the CIA only said it was "unable to determine" the truth. And allegedly, there were "performance bonuses" attached to their findings. Did the CIA bribe experts to remain silent? Is the government trying to steer the narrative in one direction for political reasons? What does that mean about the trustworthiness of our intelligence agencies?

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Congressman Wenstrup, how are you, sir?

WENSTRUP: I'm hanging in there. How are you, Glenn?

GLENN: I'm good. First of all, I want to let people know. You are a doctor. You're also an Army Reserve officer, and Iraqi war veteran. Thank you for that.

You were on the select subcommittee run by this pandemic. You have served as a doctor. You know, overseas. You also were at Walter Reed for a while.

And you are the medical policy adviser for the chief of Army Reserve. Correct?

WENSTRUP: Yes, actually retired from the Army in December.

But since I was elected to Congress, 11 years ago, I served at Walter Reed and as a medical policy adviser as well.

Obviously as a congressman.

And a congressman on the intelligence committee.

GLENN: Okay. So now, tell the story to the American people, in case they don't know. About what is going on, with the CIA. And this bribe, to the so-called experts.

WENSTRUP: Yeah. A little background. As a physician, ever since the pandemic started. I'm looking into what's going on, physiologically, how do we treat patients?

In the process of doing research, we discovered that we were actually engaging in China, in the lab in Wuhan, to create gain-of-function viruses.

That being said, with Intel committee, involved with this for the past three years, at least.

And what had happened now, is we have somebody coming forward, as the whistle-blower, seeking full whistle-blower protection.

And at this time, he wants to be anonymous. He came to both the intelligence committee, and the select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic, which I chair.

And he's made many allegations. Obviously, he summed up a lot of them. But there was the CIA, in trying to figure out, whether this came from a lab. Or from nature. Put together, a COVID discovery team, if you will.

Seven people, as you talked about.

So six of the people, they came to the conclusion with some level of confidence. That this came from a lab. And the senior person, according to these charges, said, it came from nature. Okay. Well, you're entitled to your opinion. What they ended up doing at the end of the day, releasing to the public and to the intelligence community. All they said was, the CIA was unable to determine.

Well, it sounds like they had a pretty high number of people, that were able to determine, as best as they know it. It is our responsibility, on this committee, to follow up on everything to do with the -- with the pandemic.

We take it very seriously. The reaction of the CIA, very serious.

So we're now seeking documents. Communications.

And we also have asked to speak with Andrew McCreedus (phonetic), who the whistle-blower says was the chief operating officer, and had a lot to do with constructing this.

I hope the director of the CIA will be cooperative with us.

But, you know, you hit the big question.

Why? I mean, why would they want to do that?

I mean, this goes back to where Fauci prompted. I'm using their words. Prompted a group of scientists to write what's called proximal origins.

Where in their internal documents, they're saying, oh, yeah. Well, they're doing research. Oh, yeah. They have this capability.

Oh, yeah. This really is something. And then they come out and say, it came from nature. And tried to make that definitive. Why are we not having scientific debate? What is the reason for attempting to steer everything in one direction? And here's one of my concerns, Glenn. And I think you will appreciate this. If this is true, and we have for political reasons. Or whatever.

Changing the -- the notion of changing intelligence. What does that say to our international partners, who rely on us, for intelligence?

Who we work with? Together on intelligence.

If our own intelligence department, is changing things from what people actually did and said. To fit a narrative that they want?

That's a concern I have.

GLENN: Well, not just that.

You know, you would imagine that in some cases, you would say, hey, let's not release that to anybody.

But this is changing things for the intelligence.

The oversight. You guys are -- you guys are engaged with oversight. And they didn't tell you this. A whistle-blower had to come and tell you this.

WENSTRUP: Right. And I would contend if we didn't have Republicans, in terms of the House of Representatives, it would come forward at all. To get an opportunity to somebody, that would seem like would listen. And is a whistle-blower.

And we are. And so we're pursuing this based on letters.

That's the first phase, requesting information. Documents.

You know, when we don't get them. And we dig a little bit deeper.

And we ask a little harder. And sometimes in the form of subpoenas.

GLENN: So they -- do we know if they actually paid these other experts?

These six people out of seven?

WENSTRUP: Yeah. So in the allegations, I would say that the conjecture, is that it may have come in the form of a performance bonus.
Not just out and out, hey, do this, and here's some money, if you are following that. Something to that effect. Right?

GLENN: Right. And do we have any idea how much? This is taxpayer dollars, right?

WENSTRUP: Oh, correct. And, no. We don't know how much. And, again, that's part of the investigation. We're obligated to do it. I mean, we don't really have a choice. This is what we should be doing. You know, keep in mind, I have to remember members of Congress this too. Congress created these agencies. And we fund those agencies. And we have oversight of those agencies. And not only do I have to remind members of Congress. We certainly have to remind the agencies, that this needs to be a working partnership. And you don't get to tell us anything. Especially on the intelligence committee. The intelligence committee is set up, so that there would be oversight over the intelligence committee.

GLENN: Correct.

WENSTRUP: And this is a select committee, so the people on this committee, which, by the way, is functioning well now, and is no longer an impeachment committee, but the intelligence committee, people are selected from both sides of the aisle. We also represent the other members of Congress. Because we're in a place where other members don't get to go. So this is an important role that we have. And the cooperation needs to be there. And sometimes, the community -- the intelligence community, thinks they don't have to tell us things. In the same statute that they do. So we will continue to pursue and find the truth. And we have -- we have to suggest or legislate things into law.

It allows us to hold people accountable, within agencies, when they do things.

And I use an example like this, Glenn. The military just served 25 years.

Uniform Code of Military Justice. Unethical is unlawful in the military.

And our agencies, unfortunately, this is across-the-board.

But in our agencies, if you violate some of your tenets, or what you say, or the rules of engagement within your agency, nothing really happens to you.

Oh, you might get fired.

But, you know, there -- this is -- this is a problem, that we have.

And so we are trying, on so many fronts, to put punitive measures in place when violations are occurring.

Such as, with the FISA court. Et cetera.

You know, the IG said 17 times.

Well, what actually happens? Where is the punitive measures? We're trying to implement those.

GLENN: Yeah. So do you -- is there a way out from -- I mean, your Justice Department looks horribly soiled. Your NSA. Your CIA. Your DNI.

All of these things, look like they've been a part of some really bad things, including the State Department. Now the IRS is involved. How are you possibly going to beat this?

I mean, it's like Whac-A-Mole.

WENSTRUP: Yeah. On my particular subcommittee. What I keep saying.

From the beginning. Is honesty and truth is non-negotiable. And we're going to be looking for it.

And if it's not there. We're going to point it out. And hold people accountable.

We have to.

GLENN: But you can't -- excuse me for interrupting.

But you can't really hold people responsible, if you say if they're in contempt for Congress.

Attorney general Garland. Is the one who has to prosecute. And he just came out and said, I'm not the prosecutor, for Congress.

Well, yes, you are.

But he gets to decide, who he prosecutes.

WENSTRUP: Yeah. And obviously what you're seeing, I know I heard Jim Jordan's voice when I came. And obviously you're seeing all kinds of things, where this is just wrong.

And I don't know how we get it all out from the American public. Most people don't know.

Obviously, I have the opportunity right now. To get to your listeners.

And that's important.

But there are things, that are going on today, that should be above the full front page headlines.

Each and every day.

And the mainstream media comes to our challenges, is definitely greater.

And elections matter.

And I hope people understand that. I grow up watching Superman. The beginning show.

Watching for truth, justice, and the American way. And then that's where we have to go.

And Americans have to understand, if that's what they want, or not. Because it's been deviated from, tremendously.

And let me make this suggestion too for our agencies. You know, in the military, you either move up, or you're out.

And you're required to be agnostic politically. And that's what we need in our agencies.

You either move up or you're out.

And when you get to the top, there's a mandatory retirement. You don't get to sit there with mounds of authority. And covert authority, if you will. And we have to make changes like that, within our system.

We started our country, with just three agencies. State Treasury and War.

Look what we have now. They have rule of law. They put out regulations.

We try to get laws to stop them.

It's completely backwards.

So Americans need to understand. To elect people that are willing to make that change, and get us back to the government, that you are Founders set up.

STU: Representative Brad Wenstrup. Thank you very much for what you're doing.

Please keep us informed, if there's any other news that starts to break here about the CIA apparently bribing members of the team.

The experts on COVID. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

WENSTRUP: Yeah. Thank you so much.

GLENN: You bet.

Israeli Ambassador to US Explains Trump’s REAL Gaza Strategy

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Well, we -- it's not every day we have an ambassador pop in. But we have the Israeli ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Leiter, welcome. How are you, sir?

LEITER: I'm good. It's good to be with you, Glenn.

GLENN: Yeah. You have it easy than your predecessor, dealing with Trump than President Biden. So you must be breathing a little easier. How are things in Israel?

LEITER: Well, I just got here. Five weeks ago, just landed.

GLENN: I know. I know. I know.

LEITER: I was actually the first ambassador to present his credentials to Trump. Yeah. And as my Prime Minister, Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit the White House.

So feeling pretty good about that.

GLENN: Yeah. So let me go back to the speech that President Biden gave. Because he said something in his speech, with Benjamin Netanyahu, or his -- his -- his answer. Question-and-answer session.

That even the Prime Minister couldn't have said. You know, saying, the Palestinians, they have to go some place else.

He couldn't have said. Nobody could have said that. Donald Trump know comes out and says it.

And we will build a beautiful resort.

What strategically, what do you think he was doing?

LEITER: Well, frankly, Glenn. I didn't hear the president say, he was going to force the Arabs and Palestinians out.

GLENN: No, he didn't say that. He didn't say that.

LEITER: I think what the president is saying, let's give these people a choice.

I mean, these people have been kept in Gaza. Egypt refused to open the gates.

Nobody brought ships to the coasts.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

LEITER: To offer them safe passage anywhere. Why do we just open up Gaza. And say, look, if you would like to leave. You have that option to do so. Many have left. Tens of thousands have left, by pagan exorbitant amount of money to the border crossing in Rafa. We don't need to do that. Let's just say, open the gates. Let the people out. Let's destroy Hamas. And, by the way, if they choose to leave, like Arafah left Beirut in 1982, by boat, some country that wants to absorb, I don't think anybody wants to take Hamas. I think they want to take the Gazans. Many people will take Gazans. They are an industrial bunch of people. And they will be very, very helpful to any country that wants to absorb them, but not Hamas. Nobody will take them.

But if they are going to leave, that's fine. Otherwise, we will have to destroy Hamas.

GLENN: Well, you're going to have to do it anyway. I saw -- when I was watching him, I -- I thought, nobody is going to be talking about that part tomorrow.

They're all going to be talking about building a big, beautiful city. And the Arab nations are going to say, immediately.

No, no, no, no. America is not doing that. They are doing that.

You think, part of his strategy was to get everybody back to the table, where they were with the Abrahamic accords, and everybody kind of working together for some peace with Israel.

LEITER: Glenn, I think your question is straight-on. It's very perceptive. There's been a narrative for the past, really since Israel was created.

That if Israel does not give up land. And we don't withdraw. There can't be peace. Yet, every time we've withdrawn, we've only gotten war.

And everybody has gotten into the habit of kind of using Israel as a whipping boy.

Israel not doing enough, it's doing too much. And what the president has done. It's taking everything out of the bag. And you said, look, in the Abraham accords, Israel wasn't demanded to withdraw, to give up land. How much territory do we have, by the way?

You know, we're the size of New Jersey, except come a hamburger. We're a hot dog.

It's very easy to cut in half. We're a tiny little country. We're in Texas. Israel fits into Texas 31 different times.

GLENN: Sorry.

LEITER: I'll never forget when -- when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon took Bush 41 in a helicopter ride over all of Israel. And when they got out of the helicopter, President Bush said, yeah, that's about the size of my ranch.

Right? That's the state of Israel. So if we don't have too much territory, and it also doesn't work.

If the Abrahamic Accords, and the magic of the Abraham Accords is, you know, recognize Israel unconditionally. Let's just be friends.

Let's live together. And that's where we have to go now.

Saudi Arabia is ready. Okay? Other Arab countries, other Muslim countries are ready. Can you imagine if we have peace tomorrow with Indonesia? 300 million Muslims?

And, you know, it's going to be better for them. It will be better for us. It will be better for the region. It will be better for the world.

GLENN: So what do you think about this?

Because everybody was freaking out about what happened to the White House on Friday. By the way, the way Joe Biden treated Benjamin Netanyahu, making him wait for hours. And just treating him like garbage. And having the Democrats walk out.

Please don't talk to me about how President Trump treated Zelinsky.

He treated him like a king until things were turned around.

But the -- the -- what Trump is doing, is he is thinking on almost all fronts, out of the box.

He's breaking all of the -- the calcium, that's on all of our thinking.

He's just breaking it all off.

And thinking in new ways.

And -- and talking about peace, in a different way, that if you would -- you would get out of yourself or your old think, you would see, there's a real chance, this works.

But he's realigning everything.

LEITER: He's realigning everything. You know, for a while now, the world has been in search of a new international paradigm. You know, international relations works on the basis of a paradigm. So the first half of the 20th century, we had a multi-lateral, multi-polar paradigm. It didn't work. It ended up in two world Wars. Second half of the 20th century, we had a bipolar world.

It was a Cold War. It was on the brink of nuclear war extinction. Then we had unipolar moment. A unipolar world.

But which, the United States is stepping back from. Because we don't want to lead everywhere in the world. Take responsibility for the globe anymore.

So the world is in need of a new global paradigm. And I believe President Trump is establishing that global paradigm. And it may not have a very simple name. Like multi polar. Bipolar. And unipolar.

It may be Trumpian polar.

It will be less polar. If it's not mutually assured destruction. But mutually assured construction. Right?

Everybody can benefit from this approach to foreign relations. We certainly want to be part of that.

I think we're the best ally the United States has. We've never asked for boots on the ground.

Okay? We fight enemies. The common enemies that we have, particularly Iran. Particularly Iran.

GLENN: Yeah. Kind of scary.

You know, J.D. Vance, our vice president said, when he was speaking about a year ago. He said, you know, the Islamic country that you should be worried about, with nuclear missiles.

Will some day soon, maybe be the UK. I mean, I'm not going to ask you to comment on that.

But, you know, Europe, I think you guys could maybe show them the history of Israel.

Europe is appeasing an awful lot of stuff right now.

And the people are starting to feel like we're losing our country, and our -- our place. And it's becoming very -- very Sharia law, in some places.

LEITER: Yeah. Well, you're bringing up a fascinating point. And I will say something very undiplomatic. Even though I'm in the world of diplomacy.

This all boils down to the fact that, the 36 countries, in the developed world. The OECD. There's only one country in the world with replacement fertility.

We're having kids in Israel. We're preparing the next generation -- one country, of the developed nations that have replacement fertility. That's the state of Israel. That's three generations of a Holocaust. Talk about miracles. Huh?

So, you know, it -- the -- the -- the West has to believe in itself again. And part of believing in itself. And being happy with its existence. And believing in the ideals that it created to the Judeo Christian culture. Needs to be -- to celebrate a revival.

GLENN: Right. And I don't think we did.

And I don't think Joe Biden believed in that.

And based on their reaction to J.D. Vance over in Germany. I'm not sure that Europe actually believes in itself. Jason Buttrill is with us. He's our chief researcher. Watches over foreign affairs as well. You have something over the ambassador before he has to leave?

JASON: Yeah. Ambassador, I was in Israel before the October 7th anniversary, and I -- the flood of emotions, throughout the entire country. I can't imagine what the -- what the -- I just can't. What everyone is going thew.

How do you balance getting hostages back, versus releasing, you know, tons more Hamas hostages.

How do you even balance that? And can you put someone like me at ease. That wants all this Hamas terrorists dead. What's going to happen to them, once they go out. Are they going to reestablish back in Gaza? Are they going to go somewhere else and still threaten Israel? I mean, how do you get hostages back, but still deal with the -- the Hamas terrorists that are still getting out there?

LEITER: Like you, Jason, I want my mind to be at ease. It's been a very traumatic year for me personally. I lost my oldest son, who led the forces into Gaza, and was killed in the second week of the war, when he entered a Hamas booby trap together with his command team.

He had spent 15 years in Special Ops. And he went to med school. And he was supposed to start his rounds in the hospital on October 8th. So it's a traumatic year for many.

We lost 1200 people on October 7th. Another 850 soldiers have been killed in this war. Over 2,000 people.

By United States statistics.

That would be about 65, 70,000 people killed.

Imagine. In a year! Year and a half.

So we also had tens of thousands of people, removed from their homes. Living in temporary quarters, because of the missiles fired from Hezbollah.

From the Houthis. In the Gaza envelope.

It's been a traumatic year. But I can tell you this, the people of Israel are resilient.

Our soldiers are very brave and courageous.

The fight goes on. I can guarantee you, we will release all the hostages. But we will do our damnest to do so.

Get them out alive. You're talking about a -- a cruel and brutal ghoulish group of people.

GLENN: Yes. Can I ask -- did they ever get -- the mother of the Bibas children.

Did they ever get her body back? I know they delivered a coffin.

LEITER: They deliberately delivered a coffin with someone else's body.

By the way, the locks that they put on the caskets. They provide keys that don't open the locks.

Just -- you know, just to stick it in our eye, a little further. We received the -- received the body. But you know how they were killed, again.

They were murdered.

By strangulation. And then a -- a -- effacement of the bodies. In order to be able to try -- and this was verified by autopsies. So we're dealing with a horrific group of people.

And we're going to make sure that they are not standing in Gaza any longer. It will be a difficult, long process, but we will come out on top, in the end.

GLENN: You will. Because you're not ashamed of who you are. Nor should you be. Nor should we. And we support you. We thank you.

LEITER: Thank you. Let me conclude with this one sentence. My son taught his soldiers when they go into battle. He said, always remember, where you are, where your friends are, and where the enemy is. And I learned from my son, that we always have to wake up in the morning and say, who am I? Who are my friends? And who is my enemy?

And don't confuse those three.

GLENN: Hmm.

LEITER: Categories.

GLENN: Thank you very much. The ambassador to -- to the United States. The Israeli ambassador. Ambassador Lighter.

How Trump is Playing 5D Chess with Zelenskyy and the World

Glenn makes the case that President Trump is playing 5D chess with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the world. "I was horrified" by the fiery Oval Office meeting between Zelenskyy, VP JD Vance, and Donald Trump on Friday, Glenn says. "But not [for the same reasons] everybody else was." Trump was right to say that he holds all the cards, and he's using them to win 5 battles: stopping the bleeding of people and money in Ukraine; letting Putin go home declaring a win, while everyone else knows he actually lost; giving Ukraine security, but through the rare earth minerals deal, not NATO; and taking the rare earth minerals away from Russia and China.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Oh, okay. You know, I've been saying that Trump is playing five dimensional chess. Let me show you the five dimensions of a win here for America.

The reason why I -- well, I was horrified by what I saw come out of the Oval Office on Friday.

Not because of why everybody else was.

I mean, it was so stupid. Zelinsky is -- was just playing a game. And you don't play a game against Trump, unless you have a card. You know, he's standing there, going. I don't know.

I'm going to raise the steaks. And he's like, dude. You don't have any cards.

None of them. What are you doing? You're not -- you're not capable of even playing this game!

I don't know! I'm going to push all in. Okay.

So he was just stupid. First of all, put on a tie, man!

Put on a tie. I know this is ridiculous. You know, what? What's the big deal?

He can come in his jeans. You know, Ronald Reagan never came in as jeans. Even Elon Musk wears a T-shirt with a jacket.

Have you ever seen him in the Oval Office with just a T-shirt?

He's put a jacket on top. Wear a freaking jacket!

You know where you are!

The White House. The Oval Office.

Okay.

But that's small!

Don't pick fights unless -- unless you know, you're not going to get clobbered.

But he was playing a game, trying to cozy up. Look like the strong man. Who would stand up against Donald Trump.

And unite Europe, because I should be in NATO!

Hmm. Good luck with that one, NATO.

Let me show you what happened, and part of it, an extra win for the United States might happen just because Europe was stupid, and they threw themselves in with Zelinsky. So here's what Trump is accomplishing with all of this.

One! Stopping a war. Who is against that?

Well, maybe 500 thousand people. Half a million people. Remember, we lost about 60,000. 60,000 in -- in Vietnam.

Remember how horrible that was? Russia has lost 200,000!

Are these low numbers.

Ukraine, 50,000.

Low numbers. So 250,000 people, lost, in this war.

Could be much, much higher. Let's end it. What do you say?

Because I don't even think anyone knows what this one is about anymore.

So it ends then.

Two, it ends the spending of the United States, this Ukraine, where we don't have any idea where any of it is going!

Okay? It is a corrupt country. I don't want to be helping their sock industry!

Do you want to be responsible?

Because you already are.

Under Biden, you were paying for all of the Social Security benefits, for everybody on who has worked in the Ukrainian government.

Are you for that?

Because I'm not.

What the hell are we doing with that?

All right. Ending the killing.

Ending the bleed of money. Now, what does everybody get out of it. Well, let's take Russia. Here's point number two. Number one, stop the bleeding, on people and money. Number two, Russia. It lets Putin go home, while declaring a win. But everyone else knows, he actually lost. How can you possibly say that. Because supposed to go in there, and in two weeks, take Ukraine. Now we are, what? Four years later. Three years later, and he still only has 20 percent. And he is stuck. Societies not going anywhere. Go ahead, Putin.

Cross into Poland, and see what happens to you, if you do that. The idea that Russia can just plow into Europe, has now been proven to be false!

He lost in Europe!

Okay.

So he can go home, and declare he won. Because he's got some land. I don't like that. But that's what happens in war!

Two, with Trump and Putin at the negotiating table, what is Trump doing?

He's siding with Russia.

That's what he's doing. No!

He is getting the rare earth minerals from Russia!

Russia and Ukraine are sitting on a gigantic pile of rare earth minerals.

If you don't know what that is, that's the thing that makes your computer work!

If we don't have rare earth minerals, we cannot compete in the world of tomorrow. Who has 90 percent of them? China! Did we help that? Yes!

Because we gave China Afghanistan. You know why we built that gigantic base over there, that we just handed to them? Because that's near the site of rare earth minerals!

Again, we cannot compete in tomorrow's world without rare earth minerals.

Why do you think China is all cozied up to Russia on this? Not just because they're against the United States. They want the rare earth minerals.

What are they doing all over the world?

They're making deals and saying, hey. So we'll kind of, you know, juice your economy here. And you give us the rare earth minerals.

They're smart! They're thinking ahead. Oh. I'm not used to this. So is the president of the United States!

Thinking ahead. We need the rare earth minerals. So we win. But because we win -- well, I'll get to that here in a second. So we win.

We're giving money. It really is Russia's anyway.

We're giving money to Russia. To buy the rare earth minerals.

That's a win for us. Because we're getting them at a discount.

China, we have to buy them from them, at a higher rate. Money doesn't talk to Putin, it screams.

He wants the money, from the United States, for the rare earth minerals. And he goes away, not happy, but not vengeful.

Kind of an important thing.

So there's win number two. Putin and Russia.

And rare earth minerals for America. Three, Ukraine.

Okay? They didn't get the NATO thing. They'll never get the NATO thing. It allows for us to now buy rare earth minerals, from Ukraine! They make money, we get something in return, and here's the really important thing for Ukraine.

If we have our companies, and rare earth minerals, those are extraordinarily valuable to the United States. Do you think we're going to let -- infrastructure and minds, and everything else, to get rare earth minerals out, and then we'll just say, oh, Putin just took them all?

Nope! We're not sending in troops. But you will understand soon, in the coming days, months, and years. How important rare earth minerals are!

We would send troops, if that was our stash of rare earth minerals.

Okay. So a win for Ukraine!

They didn't get the guarantee. But they get it another way. America's interests are now in Ukraine.

You should have taken these things. Four, Europe. What -- what has been the goal of Donald Trump for Europe? He's been saying, we're going to get out of NATO. He doesn't -- that's not his goal. I don't think he would mind getting out of NATO. Because it's an old alliance, that no longer is necessary.

But what does he really want?

He wants to stop paying 70 percent for the defense of Europe.

We pay 70 percent of everything that Europe has in defense, we pay 70 percent of that! No! No!

We're not going to do that anymore. So what happens? Well, because of the WEF, you know, strategy over in Europe, you have them coming together on Zelinsky's side. That's not going to make NATO stronger.

Because America is not going to go and get involved. And if you think we're going to blink on that, Donald Trump -- Donald Trump will sew his eyelids open, before he would blink on, okay. We're going to send some troops into NATO.

It's not going to map not going to happen. That weakens NATO, yes.

But it also does, what?

It forces NATO to spend more money on their own defense. A win for America!

NATO pays more, okay. What's the other win? The World War II plans. The World War II model for the world. Takes a major hit.

That's another goal of anybody who wants to get out of NATO. Anybody who wants to say, you know, the world has changed. Why are we still doing it that way?

Which is Donald Trump. The downside on this one, is that the EU because of where they're headed with the World Economic Forum, they're headed to a very unpleasant place. I mean, they just said, when J.D. Vance was over there. They just said, we don't have anything in common with America. If they're going to be for free speech. And freedom of press.

And not changing the results of elections. I don't think we have as much in common. Well, you know what, I don't want to be your ally, if that's what you believe.

You're an enemy to freedom. No. I don't want to be here. I don't want to spend money for your defense.

It could cause a Cold War, between us and Europe.

Which would not be a good thing. But morally, ethically, and strategically. If that's who they're going to be, how do we remain their friends?

Wouldn't mind being a trading partner. But not your friend. And the fifth win, five-dimensional chess. The fifth win that Donald Trump is getting.

China loses Russia. China lose the rare earth minerals, that Russia just captured! China loses its grip, not just on -- on Russia, but also on us!

Why did Trump. One of the first things he said -- you know what, we have to buy Greenland. Greenland, come on. There's always a price. How much? How much?

Why? Because we needed ice cubes. We needed rare earth minerals.

The downside on all of this stuff is if Russia and Putin -- and Zelinsky don't make a deal with the United States. Greenland. Sorry, you're going to be seeing a lot of us in the future. Because to compete for America to win, for America to advance, for America to be a superpower, for us not to be slaves of China, we must have rare earth minerals.

That's what this whole thing is all about!

At least for Donald Trump. It was about bribery, graft, war with Europe and with Biden.

With Trump, it's about peace. It's about everybody can win here. And the United States will win, to quote him bigly, because we need the rare earth minerals.

Anybody who says that Trump is stupid. Trump is causing a war. No, he's not. No, he's not.

But the world is changing. And for once! Finally, we have a president that knows how to negotiate, is negotiating on so many levels, it's mind-boggling.

And a president that's going to win, not for him. Not for his cronies. But for America's future.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

The Secret Hack to Understanding Women | Alex Clark | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 247

“MAHA will transcend MAGA,” says ‪@RealAlexClark‬ wellness influencer and host of "Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark." After Big Pharma “zombified” an entire generation and put Americans on a “never-ending treadmill of pharmaceutical interventions,” Americans are waking up to the fact that “hundreds of millions of people are dying from chronic disease,” “fertility rates are dropping 1% to 2% every year,” and “we have medicalized the human experience” with SSRIs and antidepressants. Alex says we are “edging towards a society” where it will be “nearly impossible” to marry someone without autism and explains why Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move: America” campaign was a failure. “Millennials are guinea pigs in an experiment we never consented to,” Alex says, exposing how Big Food and Big Pharma have wreaked havoc on the rising generations and why she is excited about RFK Jr. leading the HHS. She shocks Glenn by telling him that hormonal birth control affects who women choose to date, why the keto diet can be “lifesaving” for brain cancer patients, and what the heck a “seed oil” is and why everyone is talking about it. In the end, they agree that “food that can’t expire isn't food,” and maybe it's not necessary to give our dogs Prozac.

2017 Las Vegas Shooting COVER-UP? FBI Whistleblower Suggests Feds Know the Truth

Did the government lie about the 2017 Las Vegas massacre? FBI whistleblower Steve Friend tells Glenn his theory which, if true, is infuriating: “I think that Stephen Paddock was probably working with some government agency, was selling weapons to a t*rrorist organization, laundering it through the casino...and then, he happened to sell to the wrong people who perpetuated the attack at that moment.” Steve Friend also weighs in on the Epstein files and the other major cases that he wants the Trump administration to reveal in full: Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, James Comey’s honeypot scheme against Trump’s 2016 campaign, and the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Steve Friend. FBI whistle-blower. And a guy who honestly should be reinstated at the FBI, and be running a few things I think. Along with all the other whistle-blowers, that were ushered out by the last administration.

Steve, welcome to the program!

STEVE: Great to be here, thanks, man.

GLENN: Thanks. Do you have any comments on what's happening with -- or what we should expect from the client list from Epstein today?

STEVE: Well, I mean, I've just -- there's no expectation of privacy. Because Jeffrey Epstein is no longer alive. So I've always kind of scratched my head at the fact that it was kept back. And if there's any sort of continuation, wealth, that could compromise and jeopardize ongoing investigations. I think we're at a level, in this country, that we need to have the transparency, and it should have been good out there. You know, I -- I was looking -- listening to your numbers, Glenn. One, four, five, six. I will put it at a 6.66. I think that's probably --
(laughter)

GLENN: So to a expect that there's information in there that we don't know? That's meaningful?

STEVE: I do. I think it will be meaningful. It's -- it went through the lengths that they did. And if memory serves. I mean, I've always been. This is an unpopular opinion.

Jeffrey Epstein was charged in violation of double jeopardy.

And so, I mean, I'm not crying for the guy. Because he was fundamentally an evil person. Who is probably burning eternally in hell right now.

GLENN: Right.

STEVE: But the fact that this has been used to charge jizz lane Maxwell for trafficking. But we don't know to who.

The way it was handled. It never passed the smell test. This is one of those big filler type of moments. Where they can throw over a new leaf. And push forward that transparency is a new rule a day.

Keeping in line with what we see with DOGE.

GLENN: Right. And it doesn't mean anything if it's released and there's no action. I think that's why Kash passed it to Bondi. Because if there are, you know, pretty significant names in there, I would imagine the prosecution has to follow pretty quickly. Or it will just look like a nothing burger. Because nobody expects anything.

Any bad guy to ever go to jail in the government.

STEVE: It does. And he's keeping in with what James Comey did. That is when James Comey stood up and said, no reasonable prosecution was ever changed against Hillary Clinton. But that was never his call to make. That goes to the Department of Justice.

So I think Kash over to the attorney general, Bondi over here. Let her make that assessment. It's probably the right way to go.

GLENN: So they were apparently, another whistle blower was saying, that the FBI, you know, as Kash was getting ready to come in. And coming in. I mean, they were -- they were shredding documents like they were, you know, going to do a ticker tape parade for the astronauts over in New York City.

And I'm wondering how much may have been lost. And can we get the FBI back on track? Are there -- are there enough good guys in there? And are there enough good guys that know where to look, and know who the bad guys are?

STEVE: The level of subterfuge that went on during the time transition, even during the Trump administration. Before Kash Patel was elevated to become the director, was enormous.

I mean, it wasn't just limited to document shredding, as Garrett O'Boyle brought forth.

I mean, when it comes to the ICE deportation raids, the FBI at first was letting people opt out. They still are.

They are saying the moral objection to going after -- you don't to have participate in it.

They're openly --

GLENN: Who the hell has a moral -- who has a moral case against arresting those guys?

STEVE: I think you just have to look no further than the hiring practices over the last ten to 12 years, when they really elevated and prioritize diversity. I mean, that's the core values of the FBI. Obedience to the Constitution used to be it. They put that last behind diversity. And they just fundamentally changed the personnel who was in there. So the subterfuge is enormous. But I think it is going to be contingent on how guys like Garrett O'Boyle and Kyle Seraphin, myself and others who are handled now.

Because if we set the precedent that if you come forward for the right reasons, the right time, and the right way.

GLENN: They're rewarded.

STEVE: Not even just rewarded. Just you aren't having your life completely crushed. I mean, Garrett and I are both one week apart on our suspensions indefinitely. We hit 29 months this week. So, I mean, there needs to be some movement on that.

And if it does happen, then people will know that the bureau now is going to have the back of people who come forward for the right reasons.

And I think there will be more people coming forward because they know where the bodies are buried. They will not have to launder it to us. Just a few of us out here, in the Twitter space, or the content creation space, so hopefully, we can bring it out.

GLENN: Have you been contacted by carb or anybody at the FBI?

I mean, because I think -- one thing I like about Kash is, he knows, first hand what the FBI is capable of.

Because they did it to him.

And the same thing with you guys. Has anybody reached out about the possibility of guys not only coming back, but leading some of this House cleaning?

STEVE: We haven't had any of those conversations, no, not at this point. And I don't think any of us are aspiring to do that. Fundamentally, we're in sort of an Isaiah 6:8 moment. Where, whom shall I send? Send me.

It's recognition of I'm on the hill. And if called to serve, I will. We certainly have a lot of information. We have a lot of thoughts. And if they want that, that would be great. Fantastic.

But I live in Florida. And I wear shorts every day. I don't know how I feel about going out --

GLENN: Right. Right. By the way, I so agree that I heard the other day, that it's an insult to swamps. To call it -- it's more of a sewer. A swamp is -- is not bad enough.

The -- the -- what do you think we need to see, from Kash Patel, that would say to us, this is -- we're serious.

We're correcting that?

We're -- we're cleaning this thing out.

What -- go ahead.

JEFF: I think a very public firings of some of the worst actors, who we do know names of.

We brought forward. Would be great.

I think a very public announcement that the FBI is going away and completely ending its intelligence collection apparatus on the American people. Doing away with the quota system that they have for the last 11 years.

Called Integrated Program Management that's driving it forward. Reinstating how they're going to bring in people of merit, and no longer going to prioritize diversity. And use the FBI Academy as some sort of washout program. Just make it a competent law enforcement shading program that makes meritorious people capable. Those are the sorts of changes that you can have. And I think as long as we're on the top of it. Like an Epstein list.

If I can have my choice of any of those stories that you have. And there's a lot of them. I want to see the Butler, Pennsylvania case, completely opened up. Again, that individual has no expectation of privacy. He's no longer alive.

The fact that the FBI purposefully said it was potentially domestic terrorism. And they to justify that said, it was because of the Congressional baseball shooting, because they have erred in that decision to call that not an assassination attempt.

They said that the Bernie Sanders support will arrive on the baseball field and ask for the Republicans. And then try to murder them all.

It wasn't an assassin. It was suicide by cop. They labeled Butler domestic terrorism. And that was a classic. And they can't comment on that. I'm sorry, Senator and Congressman.

It's an ongoing investigation. Well, the victim is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He's entitled to that, as are the people who are on there.

GLENN: Let's just come up with a quick list here, if you don't mind, Steve.

Okay. Butler. What else -- what else should be opened up?

Butler, I think the --

STEVE: The J6 pipe bomber. The weapons of mass destruction. The sole act of possible terrorism on January 6th, 2021. Who never struck again for the last four years mysteriously. And the FBI claimed the increasingly data was corrupted.

Then the cell phone data said, no. It wasn't. They're still lying about that. I think we can go to Vegas. The Vegas shooting, one of the worst mass shootings in the country, which they memory holed pretty quickly after that after they got the bump stock.

GLENN: What do you think that was? What are your thoughts on that, Steve?

STEVE: If I had to put off theorizing past speculation. I think there was a de-confliction agencies there where multiple agencies were involved. I think Steven Paddock, who interestingly his father was on the FBI top ten most wanted list. That paddock was probably working with some government agency. Was selling weapons to a terrorist organization. Laundering it through the casino, to justify having it.

And then he happened to sell to the wrong people. That said, there would be an attack at that moment. And they said, oh. We may have just supported terrorism ourselves.

GLENN: Good heavens!

I hadn't even thought -- oh, I don't want to live in your brain. That is -- that is a frightening thought!

STEVE: This is what happens when you're at home for 29 months, Glenn.
(laughter)

GLENN: The Clinton -- the Clinton case, with her email servers. I -- I would like to see that. What else?

STEVE: Also, I think it's worth getting into the fact. We have the exposé. It just didn't get the public awareness, was the honey pot scheme that James Comey ran on Donald Trump's campaign in 2015.

GLENN: Yeah. Explain that. That just came out a couple of days ago.

STEVE: Well, it actually came back October of last year. That James Comey ran off the books. So nothing was officially opened up. He had two female agents infiltrate Donald Trump's campaign to put themselves out as sexually available, to try to elicit information that they could then open up criminal investigations on members of the Trump campaign.

And when it came to light, because media actually took a photograph of one of the agents. They pulled the plug, promoted one to a high level senior executive position. And moved the other one over to CIA. So that they wouldn't have to be called to testify.

And this is James Comey, acting -- calling the shots on this, as the director of the FBI, trying to impact the Presidential Election.

GLENN: You know, one of the things I thought of, if we go back to the Epstein case.

If you look at the Epstein file, we all know that one way or another. Prince Andrew's name will be on there.

And I believe, today, the Prime Minister of England, is visiting the White House.

How unbelievably awkward would it be, if our Department of Justice has released information, showing that Prince Andrew was involved in something this horrendous.

I mean, we all know he was.

But, I mean, for the government to make it very clear. That yep!

Here's how many times. Here's where he was. Here was in the room. Here was on the plane with him.

On the day the Prime Minister of England comes, wow. That will be an awkward meeting.

STEVE: It will be fun. But I think if anybody can handle that in front of media, it will be Donald Trump.

GLENN: Donald Trump.

STEVE: And conduct of Prince Andrew, I'm sorry. That's on you.

GLENN: No. I know that.

STEVE: I'm just revealing that.

GLENN: I'm just saying, I -- I don't like conflict so much. I would be the guy who is like. I will leave you guys here for a minute.

I'm going to go -- which guys like a Diet Coke, while you guys just chitchat here for a moment.
It will be awkward.

Really awkward.

STEVE: It's extinguishing the Tiki torch.

GLENN: I know. I know. Steve, thank you so much. Thanks for all your service in the past, and thanks for keeping us up to speed.

FBI whistle-blower Steve Friend.