Stakelbeck Tonight

Erick Stakelbeck: Common Sense is Back | Stakelbeck Tonight

January 9, 2026 | 25:5

Join Erick Stakelbeck on Stakelbeck Tonight as he explores the seismic shift in Washington under President Trump's second term, a revolution of common sense. With insider insights from political contributor Scott Jennings, witness how Trump's decisive leadership defies the norms, restores American strength, and confronts enemies at home and abroad. From reinvigorating the economy to reshaping foreign policy, discover the battles, strategy, and mission behind the scenes. As America faces a pivotal moment, the clash between common sense and globalist agendas will determine the future of Western civilization.

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Stakelbeck Tonight | Erick Stakelbeck: Common Sense is Back | Stakelbeck Tonight | January 9, 2026

Welcome to stakelbeck tonight.
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I'm erick stakelbeck.
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And washington is being shaken to its core.
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And this time it's
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Not by another poll, protest or political stunt.
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It's by something far more disruptive results.
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President trump's second term
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Isn't about managing decline or appeasing elites.
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It's about reversing course.
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Borders are being enforced.
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America's enemies are being confronted.
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And for the first time in a long time, common
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Sense is back on the table in the nation's capital.
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That's why the backlash has been so fierce.
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The permanent political class, the media establishment,
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And the globalist gatekeepers all know what's at stake.
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This isn't just about tariffs, foreign policy
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Or executive orders.
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It's about who governs america and whose values
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Will define the future of western civilization.
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To really understand
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How president trump has taken washington by storm,
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You need someone who's seen it up close
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Inside the rooms where decisions are made,
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Strategy is set, and battles are fought.
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That's where scott jennings comes in.
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He's a trusted voice in conservative politics
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And one of the rare truth tellers on cnn,
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Where he's a senior political contributor
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And battles it out nightly with his liberal co-panelists.
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Scott has written an inside account
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Of president trump's second term.
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It's called a revolution of common sense how donald trump
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Stormed washington and fought for western civilization.
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Scott takes you inside the room.
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The oval office decisions.
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The strategy aboard air force one and the mission
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To restore american strength at home and abroad.
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Take a look.
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Scott jennings, great to have you back with us.
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A revolution of common sense.
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The book is out now.
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First of all, congratulations.
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Secondly, donald trump and you open book
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With some great anecdotes about your meetings
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With him in the oval office
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Or meeting your first meeting with him in particular.
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Why is he.
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And we'll unpack all of it.
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Why is he different
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Than any other leader we see in the world right now?
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What sets him apart and makes him so successful?
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Well, i think a couple of things.
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Number one, his willingness to not be hemmed in
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By the way we've always done it.
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That's the one thing that kept
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Coming up in my conversations with him, the cabinet,
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Other people that i spoke to,
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The observations i had with his meetings.
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He is just not going to be hemmed in by, well,
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We always did it that way.
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And so when you're talking about trying to forge peace
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In the middle east,
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Or you're talking about economic policy,
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You know, there's always people in washington
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That want to say, well, we can't do that.
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We've never done that before.
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That's the last thing you want to tell donald trump.
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He's a he is truly an outside the lines thinker.
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At a time when people want
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Political leaders to think that way.
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The other thing i learned is writing this book.
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He picked the team for this administration.
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That's right, for his management style.
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And so love it.
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Or hate it,
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Donald trump, the elected president of the united states,
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Is firmly in charge.
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And the nerve center of this government
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Is the oval office behind the resolute desk.
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The other thing i learned about observing him,
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He's a good listener.
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He likes to listen to people debate.
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He will ask questions.
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But his leadership style is to really pay attention and listen.
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I think the caricature of him
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Is that he would just have preconceived ideas
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And wouldn't care what anyone thought.
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That's not true.
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He listens to these advisers,
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Have conversations and debate, and then he makes decisions.
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But he's decisive.
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I think one of the problems with biden, frankly,
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And this was historically his problem,
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Just indecisive is hand-wringing.
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You don't get that with trump.
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Once he makes a decision,
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The decision is made and it's firm
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And everybody knows to go execute.
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Number one.
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And he's built for this.
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But secondly, i don't think he sleeps.
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Now he's a force of nature. he's a machine. yes.
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And it's the antithesis, of course, scott,
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As you mentioned, of joe biden and the biden years.
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But can you talk about the mess he was left with that
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He inherited from the biden administration on all levels.
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Culturally, socially, foreign.
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Policy, economically, it was a. disaster.
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Well, go down the list.
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I mean, number one,
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Our immigration system was a disaster.
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And i think one of the reasons he was elected
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In the first place and then reelected
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Is because of the immigration crisis in this country.
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You know, we hadn't passed any new laws on immigration,
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But the border is somehow closed.
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We now have internal enforcement.
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What i have learned is, is that the old administration
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Had policies designed to have the border open
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And not enforce existing federal law.
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The only thing donald trump has done is say,
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Let's just enforce the law, right?
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Novel concept for a president.
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But that's what he's doing.
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That was a mess. but it is solved.
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He inherited an economic mess, an inflationary mess
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Caused by joe biden's policies.
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And he's still digging out from that.
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Probably one of the things that's nagging him the most.
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Just how deep of a hole biden had put us in economically.
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But he passed the big, beautiful bill.
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He kept taxes low.
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He's deregulating on the energy front.
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He's rebalancing our trade relationships.
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But i think it will take time
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For all these things to to flesh out and pan out
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On the world stage.
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I mean, the biggest thing he inherited was a weak america.
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Our president was weak. we had weak leadership.
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We had feckless leadership.
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We had indecisive leadership in the oval office and.
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Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 and went downhill from.
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There, of course, of course.
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And so the world looked at us as a diminishing player.
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Now they look at us as the world's
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Indispensable superpower once again.
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And look what happens
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When the american president is strong.
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You can solve wars.
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You can bring people to the table.
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You can get hostages back.
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Strong american leadership matters.
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And so reversing that trend culturally,
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You know another reason he was elected in 2024,
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The democrats had gone off into the cultural ditch
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On transgender ideology and a whole bunch of other things die.
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He's ended all of that.
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He's reversed that. the pendulum is swinging back.
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People are grateful that he has made it
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So that you can just tell the truth again.
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You can just say what everyone's thinking again.
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And more than anything, i think he is just instilled
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A sense of common sense.
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That's why i call the book a revolution of common sense.
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He used that phrase
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In his inaugural address when he said it.
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I thought, that's the book.
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And on his 100th day in office, i flew with him to michigan,
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And he said, i'll paraphrase, you know, whether you're right
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Or whether you left, it doesn't matter what you are,
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It's just common sense.
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And you talk to people who are not really
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All that politically engaged.
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Maybe they've never voted before.
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They were attracted to the common sense nature
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Of what he's trying to do.
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So and of course, what biden was doing on
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So many fronts was outsourcing his agenda
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To people so far on the radical left
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That everything they were doing
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Felt like nonsense, uncommon nonsense.
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But he has to reverse all that,
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And we're well on our way to doing it.
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And, you know,
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I know his advisors are happy with the progress they've made.
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I did talk to one of them
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During the process of writing the book, and i said,
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You know, he seems to be doing so many things on a daily basis.
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And the advisor said, well, you know,
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He knows he doesn't have much time to save the country.
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And that's why he's moving so quickly,
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Because he knows how close to the brink we really were.
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Coming up, scott jennings on trump's tariff
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Strategy, the battle with china for ai supremacy and how peace
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Through strength is restoring american power.
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Don't move.
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Don't move.
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Hey, we can't talk
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About president trump's leadership, scott,
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Without talking about how he uses leverage
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And peace through strength. yes.
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Economically.
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And now, look, we have trillions of dollars
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Of foreign investment coming into the united states.
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And obviously, the big foreign policy wins.
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You were in israel during the 12 day war as it broke out.
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Talk about his approach to foreign affairs
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And dealing with other countries.
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Well, a couple of things.
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Number one,
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He negotiates from a position of strength,
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Whereas biden was always from a position of weakness.
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So that automatically advantages us
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When we're talking to countries about anything.
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Number two, you know, he firmly believes in tariffs.
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He believes that tariffs are more
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Than just an economic policy.
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He views them
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As a tool of national diplomacy and national security.
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It's one of his longest and most deeply held, political.
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Views. william mckinley. finn. yes.
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I mean, he i think in his heart of hearts,
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If he could go back to a world
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Where our government was just based on tariffs,
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We didn't have income taxes and everything else.
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We didn't have an irs. that's what he would do.
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I think he believes that's what the country would best run on.
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That's his theory.
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You know, i think what he's done economically is put america
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First and american workers first, and he's using policies
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To restore jobs and try to give us greater advantages.
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And, you know, look,
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The american people will ultimately decide
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If they want this to continue or not.
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His fervent view is that we will have more jobs,
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People will have better paying jobs,
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And we're not going to be taken advantage of
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By other countries.
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That'll be, you know, the republican party's,
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Future to continue to carry that forward.
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And look, i think j.d.
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Vance is going to be the next nominee,
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And obviously he believes in it, too.
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So i think on the world stage, it's just position of strength
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Using the tools that are available
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And not being hemmed in by old ideologies or old.
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You know, we can't do it that way.
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It's made him a really powerful president.
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And we needed one because what we had before was so weak.
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Yeah. and great point.
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You seemed egypt recently, scott,
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After the gaza ceasefire deal was announced,
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He goes next door to egypt for meetings there.
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I mean, world leaders clamoring to have their picture
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With him, to talk to him, to get a moment with him.
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One thing that strikes me about him
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Is he'll talk to anyone. yes.
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China, russia, north korea.
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If he could, he would talk to iran.
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But as you said, he always does it
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From a position of strength.
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I talked to marco
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Rubio for my book, and it's one of the things
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He impressed upon me
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Is that the beginning and ending
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Of every strategic conversation they have is,
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What are we trying to get out of this for the united states
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Of america?
00:10:32.152 --> 00:10:33.020
It's one of the reasons they reorganize
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The state department in our foreign aid system.
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They had determined that it just wasn't being operated in a way
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That was serving america's best interests on the foreign stage.
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It doesn't make foreign aid bad.
00:10:43.430 --> 00:10:45.332
It just means the bureaucracy that had grown up around
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It wasn't necessarily
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In service of the foreign policy of the american government.
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Rubio told me, in fact, that there were multiple times
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Where the foreign aid distribution
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System was doing things at cross-purposes with whatever
00:10:56.643 --> 00:10:59.713
The ambassador and his country thought was the best thing to do
00:10:59.713 --> 00:11:02.850
For america's relationship with that particular area.
00:11:02.850 --> 00:11:05.953
Well, they said,
00:11:05.953 --> 00:11:07.588
Even though we've always done it this way, we can reorganize it
00:11:07.588 --> 00:11:10.157
And put it back on a footing of what's best for america.
00:11:10.157 --> 00:11:13.861
I think that's the question.
00:11:13.861 --> 00:11:14.928
He asks himself, what's best for the united states?
00:11:14.928 --> 00:11:17.364
They start there,
00:11:17.364 --> 00:11:18.665
And then he gets as close to that as possible.
00:11:18.665 --> 00:11:20.267
And i think he's got a pretty darn
00:11:20.267 --> 00:11:21.502
Darn good track record of it.
00:11:21.502 --> 00:11:22.936
It truly is america first.
00:11:22.936 --> 00:11:24.772
Imagine that. yeah.
00:11:24.772 --> 00:11:26.006
Hey, for the book, you had incredible access, by the way.
00:11:26.006 --> 00:11:28.442
President trump,
00:11:28.442 --> 00:11:29.676
Of course, marco rubio, various members of the administration.
00:11:29.676 --> 00:11:33.213
What struck you the most
00:11:33.213 --> 00:11:34.481
About how this administration operates?
00:11:34.481 --> 00:11:36.150
Obviously, as you said earlier, he's firmly in charge, but
00:11:36.150 --> 00:11:39.419
He's got his people, it seems, now around him.
00:11:39.419 --> 00:11:42.389
Yes. the people that he has hired
00:11:42.389 --> 00:11:44.224
For this administration at the cabinet level
00:11:44.224 --> 00:11:45.993
And at the staff level
00:11:45.993 --> 00:11:47.327
Know how to operate under his leadership style.
00:11:47.327 --> 00:11:50.531
I think that was the difference between trump two and trump
00:11:50.531 --> 00:11:53.467
One doesn't make those people from the first term bad.
00:11:53.467 --> 00:11:55.736
They just weren't a fit.
00:11:55.736 --> 00:11:56.737
So you ever take a job
00:11:56.737 --> 00:11:57.938
Where you and your boss just weren't a fit for each other?
00:11:57.938 --> 00:11:59.840
Of course.
00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:00.774
I mean, it happens in this administration.
00:12:00.774 --> 00:12:02.976
They knew they were going to win.
00:12:02.976 --> 00:12:03.977
They thought they were going to win.
00:12:03.977 --> 00:12:04.878
They had a plan.
00:12:04.878 --> 00:12:05.712
They had the idea of who they wanted
00:12:05.712 --> 00:12:07.047
To bring in for most of these jobs.
00:12:07.047 --> 00:12:08.949
They've made inspired picks.
00:12:08.949 --> 00:12:10.784
Rubio is the best secretary of state
00:12:10.784 --> 00:12:13.086
We've ever had, a great scott besson is a beast.
00:12:13.086 --> 00:12:16.089
Okay.
00:12:16.089 --> 00:12:16.924
Lee zeldin over at epa.
00:12:16.924 --> 00:12:19.259
The things
00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:20.160
He's done on the endangerment finding,
00:12:20.160 --> 00:12:21.862
These are the consequential decisions go down the line.
00:12:21.862 --> 00:12:25.432
And all these people that he chose
00:12:25.432 --> 00:12:27.701
Hit the ground on day one, executing on his agenda.
00:12:27.701 --> 00:12:31.705
They didn't wait.
00:12:31.705 --> 00:12:33.106
They're not sitting around.
00:12:33.106 --> 00:12:34.341
They're not over there enjoying the trappings of the offices.
00:12:34.341 --> 00:12:37.644
They're in and out of the west wing
00:12:37.644 --> 00:12:38.745
All day, getting instructions
00:12:38.745 --> 00:12:40.013
From the president about what to do next.
00:12:40.013 --> 00:12:41.849
They've been told move quickly.
00:12:41.849 --> 00:12:44.451
And they have all followed that instruction.
00:12:44.451 --> 00:12:46.920
And it's working.
00:12:46.920 --> 00:12:48.255
When you think about what he promised
00:12:48.255 --> 00:12:50.390
And what they're delivering,
00:12:50.390 --> 00:12:52.159
He's checked a lot of boxes from the campaign.
00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.127
And, you know, his voters are happy about it.
00:12:54.127 --> 00:12:56.096
No doubt that it's almost a counterrevolution.
00:12:56.096 --> 00:12:59.032
I guess you could say to the madness
00:12:59.032 --> 00:13:00.434
We saw in the prior four years.
00:13:00.434 --> 00:13:02.369
Well, i'll tell you something about the prior four years.
00:13:02.369 --> 00:13:04.371
He sold the american people a bill of goods.
00:13:04.371 --> 00:13:06.473
I'm capable and i'm moderate.
00:13:06.473 --> 00:13:08.942
Yeah, none of that was true.
00:13:08.942 --> 00:13:10.711
What donald trump told the american people
00:13:10.711 --> 00:13:12.479
Is exactly what i'm going to do.
00:13:12.479 --> 00:13:14.248
And now he's doing it.
00:13:14.248 --> 00:13:16.149
You can say a lot of things about donald trump,
00:13:16.149 --> 00:13:17.684
But a, you can never accuse him
00:13:17.684 --> 00:13:19.353
Of not telling us what's on his mind.
00:13:19.353 --> 00:13:21.355
And b, you can't accuse him of anything other
00:13:21.355 --> 00:13:23.957
Than following the things that he said in the campaign.
00:13:23.957 --> 00:13:27.094
He is making promises come true now.
00:13:27.094 --> 00:13:30.030
The american people will have decisions to make in 26 and 28,
00:13:30.030 --> 00:13:33.600
But the man keeps his promises. you have to admit.
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.836
Yeah, it's got about a minute left.
00:13:35.836 --> 00:13:37.304
Last question.
00:13:37.304 --> 00:13:38.171
The book chronicles the first months
00:13:38.171 --> 00:13:40.374
Of president trump's return to office.
00:13:40.374 --> 00:13:42.276
What do you see coming in the next three years?
00:13:42.276 --> 00:13:45.412
What are some things
00:13:45.412 --> 00:13:46.313
Maybe we can expect some big initiatives
00:13:46.313 --> 00:13:48.315
Coming down the pipe, perhaps with this administration.
00:13:48.315 --> 00:13:50.984
Well, i think a continued focus on winning the i race.
00:13:50.984 --> 00:13:54.221
I asked president trump not too long ago, actually,
00:13:54.221 --> 00:13:56.957
You know, is the fight for control of i with china?
00:13:56.957 --> 00:13:59.693
Is this your version of the space race or the cold war?
00:13:59.693 --> 00:14:02.095
And he said, it's all of that wrapped up into one.
00:14:02.095 --> 00:14:04.331
So it's making sure that the united states is firmly
00:14:04.331 --> 00:14:07.601
In control of the parameters of ai in the future,
00:14:07.601 --> 00:14:10.604
And that we make enough energy to win it.
00:14:10.604 --> 00:14:13.373
To me, when you think about, like, legacy
00:14:13.373 --> 00:14:16.677
Winning ai battles against china and making enough energy
00:14:16.677 --> 00:14:19.880
To win the battles, this isn't a short term issue.
00:14:19.880 --> 00:14:22.582
This is a long term national security issue.
00:14:22.582 --> 00:14:24.851
And i know his commitment to it.
00:14:24.851 --> 00:14:26.119
Well, scott, amazing. there's so much to cover in the book.
00:14:26.119 --> 00:14:28.288
By the way, doge of chapter on doge.
00:14:28.288 --> 00:14:30.190
Interviewed. elon.
00:14:30.190 --> 00:14:31.391
Yes, she did the most secure border in american history.
00:14:31.391 --> 00:14:33.927
It came about about a week after he came to office.
00:14:33.927 --> 00:14:36.830
You chronicled all in the book. it's a great one, scott.
00:14:36.830 --> 00:14:39.066
We're glad you wrote it. good work, my friend. god bless.
00:14:39.066 --> 00:14:41.735
When we come back, a stunning new study
00:14:42.536 --> 00:14:45.539
Shows that 1 in 3 churchgoers now favor socialism.
00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:50.944
How did marxist ideas make their way into the pews?
00:14:50.944 --> 00:14:54.247
And as gen z searches for meaning, are we seeing a true
00:14:54.247 --> 00:14:58.285
Spiritual awakening or something else entirely?
00:14:58.285 --> 00:15:02.022
George barna breaks it all down.
00:15:02.022 --> 00:15:03.924
Next.
00:15:03.924 --> 00:15:08.001
Next.
00:15:08.001 --> 00:15:11.033
Welcome back to stakelbeck tonight.
00:15:11.800 --> 00:15:13.602
Socialism is gaining
00:15:13.602 --> 00:15:15.170
Traction in america, especially among young people.
00:15:15.170 --> 00:15:19.341
If you had any doubt, just look at new york city,
00:15:19.341 --> 00:15:22.044
Where the new mayor is avowed socialist zoran mamdani,
00:15:22.044 --> 00:15:26.715
One of the most respected voices and helping us understand
00:15:26.715 --> 00:15:29.284
The shifting tides is george barna.
00:15:29.284 --> 00:15:32.087
He's founder of the cultural research center
00:15:32.087 --> 00:15:34.156
And a new york times bestselling author,
00:15:34.156 --> 00:15:36.492
And he joined me to break down why socialism and revival
00:15:36.492 --> 00:15:40.729
Are spreading in america. take a look.
00:15:40.729 --> 00:15:44.299
George, great to see you.
00:15:44.867 --> 00:15:47.169
Hey, you recently released a study
00:15:47.169 --> 00:15:48.771
At the cultural research center at arizona christian university
00:15:48.771 --> 00:15:51.974
That surveyed 1000 regular church goers.
00:15:51.974 --> 00:15:55.444
And george, it showed that 1 in 3 church goers, 32%
00:15:55.444 --> 00:16:00.582
Now prefer socialism to capitalism.
00:16:00.582 --> 00:16:04.486
Tell us more about this.
00:16:04.486 --> 00:16:05.654
How does this happen?
00:16:05.654 --> 00:16:08.190
Well, i think there are a few things going on, erik.
00:16:08.190 --> 00:16:10.225
One of those certainly is that
00:16:10.225 --> 00:16:12.261
When people say they prefer socialism,
00:16:12.261 --> 00:16:15.531
We've done some deeper dives into that
00:16:15.531 --> 00:16:17.499
And realized that most people
00:16:17.499 --> 00:16:19.401
Don't actually understand what socialism is about.
00:16:19.401 --> 00:16:22.571
They don't realize that it's essentially marxism,
00:16:22.571 --> 00:16:25.974
And that it would say that there is no god.
00:16:25.974 --> 00:16:29.611
There is no absolute moral truth.
00:16:29.611 --> 00:16:32.648
You can't trust the bible.
00:16:32.648 --> 00:16:35.717
Government is more important than god.
00:16:35.717 --> 00:16:38.454
Elites should be making decisions for people's lives.
00:16:38.454 --> 00:16:42.825
When you pose those kinds of activities to people,
00:16:42.825 --> 00:16:47.129
Many of the same people who said they prefer socialism,
00:16:47.129 --> 00:16:50.199
They'll tell us, well, i don't believe in that.
00:16:50.199 --> 00:16:52.367
No, i don't want that.
00:16:52.367 --> 00:16:53.836
I didn't know that's what it was all about.
00:16:53.836 --> 00:16:56.071
So there's this great pr campaign that's been going on
00:16:56.071 --> 00:16:59.775
For the last two decades, trying to dress up socialism
00:16:59.775 --> 00:17:03.712
As being the loving, compassionate
00:17:03.712 --> 00:17:07.182
Approach to government and lifestyle when employed.
00:17:07.182 --> 00:17:10.285
In fact, it's nothing of the sort.
00:17:10.285 --> 00:17:12.521
But nevertheless, with our two younger
00:17:12.521 --> 00:17:14.623
Generations in particular,
00:17:14.623 --> 00:17:16.625
Whether we're looking at church
00:17:16.625 --> 00:17:17.826
Goers or people outside the church,
00:17:17.826 --> 00:17:20.229
You find that close to
00:17:20.229 --> 00:17:21.530
Half of them have bought into the pr campaign
00:17:21.530 --> 00:17:25.300
And therefore go around saying,
00:17:25.300 --> 00:17:26.835
Yeah, socialism is the way to go.
00:17:26.835 --> 00:17:28.904
Gen z in particular, i think is very interesting
00:17:28.904 --> 00:17:31.473
Because they're trending
00:17:31.473 --> 00:17:32.808
Positively towards socialism on one hand,
00:17:32.808 --> 00:17:35.644
But on the other hand, we see a revival in that generation.
00:17:35.644 --> 00:17:38.914
It looks like george and you've done studies
00:17:38.914 --> 00:17:40.616
In the wake of charlie kirk's assassination.
00:17:40.616 --> 00:17:42.985
Tell us more about how gen z is trending spiritually
00:17:42.985 --> 00:17:46.755
In the wake of charlie's death.
00:17:46.755 --> 00:17:48.557
Yeah, i wouldn't necessarily call it a christian revival.
00:17:49.691 --> 00:17:52.528
I call it a religious revival
00:17:52.528 --> 00:17:54.863
Where you've got a lot of young people
00:17:54.863 --> 00:17:56.632
Now who are asking a lot of the big questions of life.
00:17:56.632 --> 00:18:00.669
And so some of them have come back to churches,
00:18:00.669 --> 00:18:03.672
And particularly after charlie's death, just like after 911,
00:18:03.672 --> 00:18:08.043
The attacks in new york city and dc and pennsylvania,
00:18:08.043 --> 00:18:11.980
We saw that there was a big surge of church attendance.
00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:15.284
But within 4 to 6 weeks it dissipated.
00:18:15.284 --> 00:18:17.920
And we've seen generally
00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:19.388
The same thing happened after charlie's death.
00:18:19.388 --> 00:18:22.424
And so it reminds us that really the key is getting people
00:18:22.424 --> 00:18:27.029
To go to church services or church buildings.
00:18:27.029 --> 00:18:30.532
The key is for christians to develop relationships
00:18:30.532 --> 00:18:35.070
With those people, those young people in particular,
00:18:35.070 --> 00:18:38.040
Who have questions and are searching for answers.
00:18:38.040 --> 00:18:41.009
We know that jesus has the answers.
00:18:41.009 --> 00:18:43.812
The bible has the answers.
00:18:43.812 --> 00:18:45.647
Churches may even have the answers, but normally,
00:18:45.647 --> 00:18:49.184
If it's going to last in that person's
00:18:49.184 --> 00:18:51.587
Life, it's got to come to a relationship.
00:18:51.587 --> 00:18:53.755
What they're really looking for
00:18:53.755 --> 00:18:55.390
Is to belong to something meaningful, some kind of
00:18:55.390 --> 00:18:58.460
Human connection, some kind of transhuman
00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:01.296
Connection with an omnipotent god.
00:19:01.296 --> 00:19:04.566
And so, yes, we can help them get there.
00:19:04.566 --> 00:19:06.635
George, great.
00:19:06.635 --> 00:19:07.569
Break down how you do so many great studies
00:19:07.569 --> 00:19:09.071
At the cultural research center
00:19:09.071 --> 00:19:11.006
And you've done studies as well recently on attitudes towards
00:19:11.006 --> 00:19:13.875
Israel and the rise in anti-semitism.
00:19:13.875 --> 00:19:16.912
What can you tell us about that?
00:19:16.912 --> 00:19:18.113
Obviously, we just had a horrific
00:19:18.113 --> 00:19:19.781
Anti-semitic islamic terror attack in australia.
00:19:19.781 --> 00:19:23.051
We see anti-semitic trends even here in america.
00:19:23.051 --> 00:19:26.488
Tell us more about what you found on that front.
00:19:26.488 --> 00:19:28.991
Well, when we look at people
00:19:29.591 --> 00:19:30.826
Who regularly attend christian churches,
00:19:30.826 --> 00:19:33.161
One of the things we discovered is that the fate of israel,
00:19:33.161 --> 00:19:38.634
The condition of israel, what's going on in the middle east
00:19:38.634 --> 00:19:43.138
Isn't something that they spend much time thinking about.
00:19:43.138 --> 00:19:47.309
And so when we honed in on their perceptions about israel,
00:19:47.309 --> 00:19:52.714
What we discovered is
00:19:52.714 --> 00:19:53.815
With people who regularly attend christian churches,
00:19:53.815 --> 00:19:56.885
Only six out of ten of them even said that it's important
00:19:56.885 --> 00:20:00.555
For christians to be praying for israel.
00:20:00.555 --> 00:20:03.825
Only four out of ten said that it's very important
00:20:03.825 --> 00:20:07.396
For them to be talking to other people
00:20:07.396 --> 00:20:11.533
About what's going on in israel
00:20:11.533 --> 00:20:13.035
And to support israel in those conversations.
00:20:13.035 --> 00:20:16.505
Only four out of ten said, it's very important for us
00:20:16.505 --> 00:20:19.741
To encourage our government to support israel.
00:20:19.741 --> 00:20:24.112
And less than four out of ten,
00:20:24.112 --> 00:20:26.715
We're saying that they felt it was important that they
00:20:26.715 --> 00:20:30.319
Allocate some of their personal resources
00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:32.521
Toward supporting israel.
00:20:32.521 --> 00:20:33.889
When you look at things like prayer and talking up
00:20:33.889 --> 00:20:37.793
Israel and encouraging the government
00:20:37.793 --> 00:20:41.163
To get involved, those three things together.
00:20:41.163 --> 00:20:43.198
Only about three
00:20:43.198 --> 00:20:44.366
Out of ten regular church goers were supportive of those
00:20:44.366 --> 00:20:47.102
Simple things.
00:20:47.102 --> 00:20:48.570
So we're in a situation here where when we dug deeper,
00:20:48.570 --> 00:20:53.108
We found that most people say, you know what
00:20:53.108 --> 00:20:55.444
I don't hear about israel at church?
00:20:55.444 --> 00:20:57.913
I don't hear about israel in my conversations with my friends.
00:20:57.913 --> 00:21:02.150
So almost all of my information is coming from the media.
00:21:02.150 --> 00:21:05.854
Now, what media do they pay attention to?
00:21:05.854 --> 00:21:08.023
Well, it's largely
00:21:08.023 --> 00:21:09.224
The secular media, the cnn ads, and the abcs of the world
00:21:09.224 --> 00:21:13.395
Who have a particular point of view that they're promoting.
00:21:13.395 --> 00:21:17.265
And so more often than not, christians
00:21:17.265 --> 00:21:20.302
Are being educated by the secular media
00:21:20.302 --> 00:21:23.739
From a biased point of view in terms of what's happening
00:21:23.739 --> 00:21:27.542
With israel.
00:21:27.542 --> 00:21:28.510
Well, george, great break down all around.
00:21:28.510 --> 00:21:30.312
A lot to pray about for sure, folks.
00:21:30.312 --> 00:21:32.414
No one does it better.
00:21:32.414 --> 00:21:33.615
George barna cultural research center
00:21:33.615 --> 00:21:35.851
At arizona christian university george, thanks so much.
00:21:35.851 --> 00:21:38.687
Keep up the great work.
00:21:38.687 --> 00:21:40.288
Up next, my final thoughts on
00:21:40.922 --> 00:21:42.657
The future of faith, family and freedom in america.
00:21:42.657 --> 00:21:47.229
That's next.
00:21:47.562 --> 00:21:48.563
Stick around.
00:21:48.563 --> 00:21:51.002
Stick around.
00:21:51.002 --> 00:21:53.705
Welcome back to stakelbeck tonight, folks.
00:21:54.572 --> 00:21:56.408
As we wrap up, remember ideas have consequences.
00:21:56.408 --> 00:21:59.978
What we believe
00:21:59.978 --> 00:22:01.146
About true freedom, government and god ultimately shapes
00:22:01.146 --> 00:22:04.182
The future of our families, our churches, and our nation.
00:22:04.182 --> 00:22:08.219
When nearly one third of regular churchgoers
00:22:08.219 --> 00:22:10.989
Say they prefer socialism, an ideology rooted in marxism
00:22:10.989 --> 00:22:15.226
Built on the rejection of god and absolute moral truth.
00:22:15.226 --> 00:22:18.730
That's not just a policy problem.
00:22:18.730 --> 00:22:21.166
It's a discipleship problem.
00:22:21.166 --> 00:22:23.034
Scripture couldn't be more clear.
00:22:23.034 --> 00:22:24.469
Romans 12 two tells us, do not be conformed to this world,
00:22:24.469 --> 00:22:28.473
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
00:22:28.473 --> 00:22:32.076
That renewal doesn't happen through media narratives,
00:22:32.076 --> 00:22:34.979
Political slogans, or cultural pressure.
00:22:34.979 --> 00:22:37.415
It happens when believers know god's word,
00:22:37.415 --> 00:22:40.385
Live it out and pass it on through their words and actions.
00:22:40.385 --> 00:22:44.088
When it comes to gen z,
00:22:44.088 --> 00:22:45.490
The spiritual hunger we're seeing is real.
00:22:45.490 --> 00:22:47.892
They're asking the big questions.
00:22:47.892 --> 00:22:49.427
They're searching for meaning, identity, and truth.
00:22:49.427 --> 00:22:52.597
But if the church doesn't step up and engage,
00:22:52.597 --> 00:22:55.400
Someone else will fill that void.
00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:57.669
Jesus gave us the mission very plainly.
00:22:57.669 --> 00:23:00.038
Matthew 28 says, go and make disciples.
00:23:00.038 --> 00:23:03.575
Not just invite, not just stream.
00:23:03.575 --> 00:23:05.710
Go build relationships.
00:23:05.710 --> 00:23:07.879
Speak truth and live the gospel.
00:23:07.879 --> 00:23:10.381
The answers are still the same.
00:23:10.381 --> 00:23:12.383
Christ is still lord.
00:23:12.383 --> 00:23:14.085
The bible is still true
00:23:14.085 --> 00:23:16.387
And the future is still worth fighting for.
00:23:16.387 --> 00:23:19.557
Until next time.
00:23:19.958 --> 00:23:21.259
God bless you and we'll see you soon.
00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:21.259

Erick Stakelbeck: Common Sense is Back | Stakelbeck Tonight

January 9, 2026 | 25:5

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