Ep. 89 - No, You Won't Be Able To Control Donald Trump

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Ben Shapiro uses the episode to argue that Donald Trump is uncontrollable, dangerous, and bad for conservatism, while also condemning Breitbart for siding with the Trump campaign over Michelle Fields in the Corey Lewandowski arm-grab incident. He critiques the idea that Trump can be managed by advisers, highlights the media’s double standards on violence, and contrasts Trump with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders as equally flawed but still less corrosive to the right than Trump.

Main Topics: Breitbart, Michelle Fields, and Corey Lewandowski (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro defends Michelle Fields, says the video clearly shows Corey Lewandowski grabbing her arm, and attacks Breitbart for backing Lewandowski and the Trump campaign over their own reporter. Trump cannot be controlled by advisers (Priority: 5/5): He argues that claims Trump will be moderated by experts or surrounded by good people are fantasy, citing Trump’s impulsiveness, sycophants, and inconsistent positions. Trump as a media and traffic magnet (Priority: 4/5): Shapiro says Breitbart and others support Trump for traffic, ratings, ego, or because he attacks the media and says politically incorrect things. Violence, protest, and double standards (Priority: 5/5): He condemns left-wing and Trump-associated incitement to violence, but also says two things can be true at once: the left often normalizes disorder, and Trump also encourages violence. Critique of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic field (Priority: 3/5): Shapiro portrays Clinton as disingenuous and disastrous on coal and Libya, and mocks Bernie Sanders as economically and rhetorically extreme. Personal fallout and Breitbart hit piece (Priority: 4/5): He describes a Breitbart article targeting him through his father’s pseudonym as a vicious retaliation and says the episode reflects the uglier side of Trump-aligned politics.

Key Arguments: The video evidence and reporting support Michelle Fields’ claim that Corey Lewandowski grabbed her arm; denying it is dishonest. Breitbart’s decision to side with Lewandowski and Trump over its own reporter shows moral and journalistic collapse. Trump is not malleable: his campaign, rhetoric, and behavior show he ignores advisers and surrounds himself with sycophants. The idea that a president Trump would be safely controlled by experts is unrealistic because he has shown no pattern of taking correction. Trump’s appeal to media figures is driven by traffic, ego, and his habit of attacking political correctness, not by conservatism. The left frequently normalizes or excuses disorder and intimidation, but that does not excuse Trump’s own calls for violence. Two things can be true at once: left-wing incitement is wrong, and Trump’s own violent rhetoric is also wrong. Hillary Clinton is portrayed as deeply flawed on economic policy and foreign policy, especially coal and Libya. Bernie Sanders is mocked as economically radical and unserious on climate change and campaign finance. The Breitbart hit piece using Shapiro’s father’s pseudonym is presented as a personal and unethical act of retaliation.

Data Points: Podcast audience: nearly 40,000 listeners every day - Shapiro references the size of his show’s daily audience while discussing Trump’s effect on media traffic. Violent crime rise (1960 to 1990): 400% increase - He cites Barry Latzer’s book to argue that social unrest contributed to a major rise in violent crime. Chance of victimization if trends held: 40% - He says a person living in the early 1980s would have had a 40% chance of violent victimization if crime rates stayed the same for 20 years. Libya casualties mentioned by Clinton: 0 - Shapiro mocks Clinton’s claim that the U.S. did not lose a single person in Libya. Benghazi deaths implied: 4 - He references the Benghazi attack as the obvious contradiction to Clinton’s Libya comment. Coal industry policy: put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business - He cites Clinton’s remarks as evidence of anti-coal policy. Climate change framing: look at it almost as a warlike - He quotes Sanders describing climate change in military terms. Free course sponsor: Constitution 101 at hillsdale.edu/Ben - The episode includes a sponsorship pitch encouraging listeners to take a free Constitution course. Email privacy sponsor: 2 free bonus months - Shapiro promotes Reagan.com/Privacy with a bonus offer for sign-ups.

Pivotal Quotes: "Tape shows Corey Lewandowski grabbing Michelle Fields by the arm and he bruised her. End of story." — Ben Shapiro: Defending Michelle Fields and rejecting claims that the incident was a hoax. "There are a lot of people out there who believe wrongly that they can control Donald Trump." — Ben Shapiro: Central thesis of the episode: Trump is not manageable by advisers or institutional constraints. "Two things can be true at once." — Ben Shapiro: His framework for condemning both left-wing violence excuses and Trump’s own violent rhetoric.

Implications: Shapiro’s argument is that Trump’s rise threatens conservatism by normalizing dishonesty, intimidation, and cult politics. He urges listeners to reject the idea that electoral victory justifies abandoning standards of truth and restraint.