The Eric Metaxas Show - #68 - Eric Reacts

Episode Date: March 2, 2026

Today on The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric and Chris react to Iran, the regime’s brutality, and why Eric says Americans cannot grasp what life under that system is like. They break down media propaganda, why Eric says he trusts President Trump’s judgment in a complex war moment, and what the hawk and dove sign made him think about the grim cost of conflict. And Eric shares updates from Florida events, why he was impressed by Ron DeSantis in person, and a life saving segment supporting Israel’s national EMS. Subscribe for clips from The Eric Metaxas Show to hear politics and culture from a Christian perspective.

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Hey there, folks. It is Monday the second of March, 2026. I find myself in the Florida Keys. No one knows how we got here. Chris, Chris Himes, my producer, maybe you can tell me how I got here. Actually, yeah, you said,

you know what, I'm tired of this life of being a respectable podcast or an author. I'm going to try my hand at running drugs in the Florida Keys like Scarface. You know what? That pretty much sums it up. That's basically what's happening. I'm running guns and, you know, it's fun.

It's fun. We got a great boat. No, actually, I'm down here because I'm speaking tomorrow night at a special event. It's a private event, but we're down here in Key Largo. And I was most recently, just a couple of days ago, in Palm Beach, Florida. In fact, until yesterday, Yesterday, I was in Palm Beach, Florida. And we did a Socrates in the city event.

Now, I want to talk about all of that. But of course, right now I have to talk about Iran. It really is an extraordinary thing. I knew, and this is, I want to be clear about this, when President Trump said weeks ago to the Iranian people, keep protesting, like this, there's so much going on. There's so much going on. But for 47 years, the Iranian people have been subjugated under a satanic, terroristic, Islamic regime.

It is impossible for most Americans to fathom what it would be like to live in that kind of a situation. It's just about impossible. We are ignorant. We are spoiled. We cannot imagine what it would be like. and for 47 years, the Iranian people have been having to deal with this, many, many, many of them longing, praying for the mullahs to go away. And so if there's ever an opportunity to do that, obviously you want to take that opportunity, but it's been very difficult. Obama failed miserably.

I don't even want to get into it. Despicable lack of leadership. And clearly, you know, just not caring about it. anything. But this being said, folks, we know we've learned the lesson from Iraq and Afghanistan. We don't want forever wars. So when something like this happens, the first thing that I think of is I trust President Trump. Okay? I don't worship President Trump. I trust President Trump because he has now over a decade proved to me that he is someone I can trust. This doesn't mean that he's going to get everything right.

But I'm always amazed at how quickly people second guess and they act like, well, they've got more secret information than the president of the United States. And if the president of the United States was a jughead like Joe Biden or Kamala Harris or a feckless, awful person like Barack Obama, that's his. another story. Then you have no idea what they're thinking, what they're doing, and you can assume the worst most of the time. But with President Trump, I think when you don't know quite what to think, you can trust him. You elected him. We elected him. And in electing him, we elected someone who has put together a team of people that I think we can trust. And I think we can trust

President Trump. And I just think we've gotten so spoiled. We kind of think like, well, when there's fatality like we're out we don't want you know it's not a forever war you know if you're a week in and some people have died that is called the term for that is called a war and it is terrible but it's sometimes far more terrible to do nothing and to pretend that there's no cost to doing nothing when you do nothing sometimes people suffer and die it's just it doesn't get the headlines And so what we're dealing with right now is an extraordinary thing. But the opportunity, the opportunity to take out these unbelievably wicked, wicked leaders. I just don't think there are many Americans who really don't understand the depth of evil.

They don't understand what it would be like. Imagine that they murdered thousands of young people recently. this is recently. Why did they murder them? Why did they murder young people? Because the young people dared, dared to speak out and say, we don't like this regime. For that, you will be tortured and murdered.

I would say that, you know, if we have an opportunity to do something about that in the United States of America, you know, you could say it's not our battle. And on one hand, it's not. On the other hand, if it aligns with our, interests, which of course this does. This is not about, you know, doing something in a vacuum. Everything affects our interest.

I just think that, you know, again, I trust President Trump. Ultimately, that's the bottom line. And I think at this point, I think it's foolish not to trust him. It doesn't mean you don't question things. It doesn't mean you don't hold his feet to the fire and expect his administration to explain themselves as they can. But I think fundamentally, you trust him because we elected him. We didn't elect ourselves or pundits. We elected him. And he has information that we don't. Now, you can take that too far. So I'm not advocating taking it too far. But I think that that's where I start.

And I think that again, we're so spoiled that the news of any casualties or anything right away we think, oh, we must have made a mistake. No, when you go, when we went to war against Hitler, there were many casualties. You do everything you can to make it as few as possible, but in a war there are casualties. And that's part of the grim decision that a president makes in going to war. but this is very, very complicated. Chris Heim's, you and I, we've talked about this. This is, you know, it's the proverbial 4D chess.

There is so much going on, right? On the one hand, it's about the regime in Iran, which is incredibly wicked Islamal fascist monsters, um, subjugating their own people for years. But they've also been the sponsors of terrorism, of torturing innocence, of things that are just, just unbelievable, but it goes way beyond that. It goes down to the power of showing China and showing Russia what we can do

and what we will do if we're challenged. You know, so anyway, there's a lot to say, Chris. I know I'm missing like 10 things that I wanted to talk about. Well, I mean, just in terms of the war, it's, you know, you kind of see them firing things at all directions. it's there's you know even back home there's a weird reaction with these more progressive forces in our society that somehow in this weird simulation we seem to be trapped in have taken the sides of the mullahs and and and you know the the Muslim tyrants that have been running Iran for

47 years it's like I think there was uh there was uh in the in the Washington Post I think they were you know, the description, I don't know, I took a screenshot of it because it was like, is this satire this can't be real? But I think James Woods, but the Ayatollah Khomeini, they, they, allegedly, and I haven't checked this, but if he posted, I assume it's accurate. With his bushy white beard and easy smile, Ayatollah Khomeini, cut a more avuncular figure in public than his perpetually scalying, but much more revered mentor. And he was known to be fond of Persian poetry and classic western novels, especially Victor Hugo's Le Miserab.

Some Iranians who knew Ayatollah Khomeini before he became supreme leader described him as a closet moderate. It's like, man, a closet moderate. You know, I'd hate to, you know. Yeah, this is, listen, this is, it is hard. Ladies and gentlemen, in case you're younger than I am,

let me just tell you, life is hard. Life is confusing. you think you've seen it all. Look, the New York Times, right, which, and I assume no one in this audience is stupid enough to pay money for the New York Times ever. I assume that if you are stupid enough, stop being stupid. But the New York Times has been apologists for satanic evil almost since forever. In the 1930s, Walter Durante was their Moscow bureau chief. he was a propaganda mouthpiece for Stalin

during some of the most wicked things ever done in the history of the world by Stalin. The New York Times was publishing glowing things about that. That's in the 30s. They did the same for Hitler. In 1979, when Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution happened, in 1979, they wrote a puff piece about the Ayatollah

Comini. I just have to say that it's challenging in this world. You know, you want to live in a world where, hey, if it's in the New York Times, but it's probably true. That hasn't been true for the longest time, but it has gone off the rails. And you have people like, for me, part of the way that I look at this is like, who is against this? Mayor Mamdani of New York is all, he's really against this.

And he stands up for Iraq. Iran. For the people of Iran, no, no, for the monsters in charge in Iran. That's when he says he were standing up for Iran because the people of Iran are thrilled about this. So Mayor Mamdani, the 20-year-old, you know, Jew-hating communist who is now the mayor of New York, he is really against this. Jane Fonda is really, really upset about this. You know, Marjorie Taylor Green, whatever. It's, I think that even if you don't know what to think, that's a good index of how to think. Like, so who's for it, who's against it, what's going on? And it's always easy to say, I've got to say this. It is always easy when you're in something like this,

to seize on anything, there's an American death or there's something like that. And you just go, see, look, look, folks, we need to, this is tough stuff here. This is tough stuff. This is more. One of the comments, because I did, I did verify it, it was, it was in the Washington Post obituary, where he called him, you know, they're calling him a closet moderate. Someone just jokingly wrote as a response, known as the Islamic Santa Claus of the Middle East, his jolly laugh was unmistakable as he had women stoned in the streets.

You know, it's like, and then someone else writes, seriously, we are at this stage, and it's a fake headline from the Washington Post in 1945 with just the title that says, The World Lost an Aspiring Painter, and animal lover this morning, you know, obviously making reference to Hitler, shooting himself in the bunker. It's like we're at that stage in reality at this moment, which is crazy. While the corrupt federal elites have been quietly building wealth through cryptocurrency,

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in bonus crypto when you open an account. Crypto created 80,000 new millionaires last year under Trump's phenomenal economic leadership. Why not you next? Well, I guess this really underscores why it is important that we're well informed and that we learn how to think. You cannot be a free people unless you're reasonably well informed and know how to think because there's all kinds of propaganda. There are lies. There's misinformation. Some of it intentional. Some of it unintentional.

And so it's just a crazy time. but I just want to say my headline is I trust President Trump. He has earned our trust. You know, in 2016, who knew? We have watched him and I trust him. And I assume we'll continue to trust him. I wanted to say, you know, turning the page for a moment, that I said I'm in Florida. The other day I was in Palm Beach, we had a Socrates in the city event.

With Hugh Ross, we're going to do more with him. He is, I think, unparalleled as an apologist for the Christian faith from the world of science. As many great folks that exist in that category, I think he is untouchable. He's 80. He's as brilliant as he ever was. I interviewed him at Socrates and City. We'll put that up on YouTube soon. but he has a new book out,

which maybe we'll get him on this program to talk about it, about the, it's called Noah's Flood Revisited. You can't, I promise you. You cannot imagine what he is so brilliant and so clear-headed. I've never, I just have never seen anything like him or know anybody like him.

So I interviewed him the other day in Palm Beach. That's why we were there. And then the next day, I think I can't remember, I shared this. I was supposed to go to the White House for a special arts and culture, a 250th supercentennial thing. I was going to be on a panel talking about my new book on the American Revolution. So I had all my flights booked and everything and I woke up that morning after the Socrates and City event and the flight was delayed enough to really mess up whether I'd be able to be involved

in the afternoon. So I think, well, now what do I do? And then the flight is delayed again and again. And again, It was delayed enough that I was like, okay, I guess I'm not going to the White House. So instead, I was able that evening to go to an event at the Flagler Museum. We've had Scott Atlas on this program. He's the head of the global. Now I can't think of it. It's no, it's the global, is there something global initiative? And now, of course, I can't think of the other letter.

But it's Scott Atlas. We've had him on the program before. Before the program's over, we will tell you the name of the organization. I'm very embarrassed, of course, not to be able to remember. But it's the Liberty, Liberty Global Initiative, LGI, Liberty Global Initiative. And so I didn't expect to be there, but I was there. Who did I sit next to and spend the evening talking to? Who?

With whom did I sit that evening? Glenn Beck. Oh. Glenn Beck. What a legend. You know, since my Bonhofer book came out 2010. But I really get to see

Glenn or hang out with him. And we were together and it's such a joy. I love Glenn so much. He is lovable and brilliant and amazing. But it was a joy to be with him for the evening. Jan Yon Yucallik,

who we had on the program what, last week. Friday. the book called Killed to Order. He was there, and I introduced him to Glenn because Glenn, I said, Glenn, you need to be excited about Yon's book about the Chinese communists murdering people for their organs. So the book is killed to order. And so Glenn is going to have Yon on his program, because we've got to get the word out, folks, about this is what communists do. They don't believe you're made in the image of God.

if you disagree with them, just like the mullahs in Iran, they'll murder you. They don't believe in, you know, free speech or any of that quaint stuff. They'll murder you. And so we need to be clear on what is communism? What do they believe? What do we believe? And so anyway, it was it was great to introduce Glenn Beck to Jan and to talk about the book Kilda Order.

But the main speaker, and I think I said this to Glenn, I said, I'm never at an event. where I'm not the speaker or at least one of the speakers or something. It's such a joy just be able to sit here and, you know, criticize the other speakers. And who was this? Who was there? Larry Arn got a big award. He's the president of Hillsdale. You know, there's nobody like Larry Arn and there's nothing like Hillsdale.

It's just the best of the best. So that was just a joy to reconnect with Larry Arn. But the main speaker was Governor Ron DeSantis. and I wanted to come on the program today to register my impression of how impressive Governor DeSantis is. I mean, you know, I already sort of knew that, but I don't think I've ever heard him give a whole speech and do Q&A and really, you know, get the measure of the man. And I would bet dollars to donuts that he will make.

a gigantic run for the presidency in 2028. And if I had to pick between Marco Rubio, J.D. Vance, and Ronda Santis, it would be very tough. I mean, right now, if somebody says to me between Rubio and J.D. Vance, who would you pick? I would definitely pick Rubio, not just because he gave a great speech the other day, which is part of it, but because he's 13 years older than J.D. Vance, okay? J. J.D. Vance is super. young. He's 41 years old. So even though I think he'd be spectacular, I think Marco Rubio,

all things equal, Marco Rubio, you know, gets that nod before J.D. Vance, and I think President Trump may be thinking the same thing. But Ron DeSantis was so impressive. I just want to say, ladies and gentlemen, I had not really been sufficiently apprised

of how impressive he was. I didn't have any negative views of him, but to hear him in person, just unpack what he's done in Florida. And here's the key. And this is why he struck me as extremely Trumpian. Because he, he doesn't just have the right thoughts.

He actually has the guts to enact what he thinks is right and to push back and to fight. And that really, that's what impressed me in his speeches. Like he's talking about, you know, he gets there, you know, he's governor, and there's this college, new college in Florida. It's public. It's taken over by, you know, Marxist, leftist, and he says, well, we need to do something about this. And he actually does something about it.

And he's instituted things that are just, I was amazed as I sat there. So, you know, nobody's paid me to say this or anything. But I was just so impressed with Ron DeSantis. I thought, I've got to tell my audience about that because I think, I also think it's kind of funny because as Glenn Beck and I are, you know, having doing our commentary, uh, while these speeches are being given.

And both, uh, Glenn and I thought, he has done such an insanely great job in Florida. What a pity they have term limits, number one. Number two, why could he not run for governor in a place like,

oh, I don't know, Texas. He could win. Uh, Greg Abbott has not done a great job. Let's be honest, folks.

He's, he's, Trump, he's no Ron DeSantis. Why couldn't Glenn run in Texas? Sorry, Glenn. Why can Ron DeSantis run in Texas and do in Texas what he's done in Florida? How amazing that would be and how I wish he would. So Glenn dared to take the microphone and stand up and put that on Ron DeSantis and say,

hey, you know, I'm not joking. What would you think about this? And unfortunately, Ron DeSantis gave the class. classic politicians answer, you know, yeah, my kid, you know, he went to, he was rooting for the Aggies and it was like one of those kind of political things where he didn't really answer the question, but how great Texas is, but he, which all of which made me understand, which we should have understand before we even thought about this, obviously he is, he's going all in to run for president in 28. He expects that he can win. His resident. His resident,

resume is amazingly impressive, you know, Yale, Harvard, Afghanistan. If you can go through Yale and Harvard and still come out with a MAGA, I Love America mentality, that's a big deal. Like, that's astonishing. But far more impressive than that is what I saw come out of him in that speech and what he said and whatever, because a lot of people with resumes, you know, that I would. never want to be president of the United States like Mike Pompeo or people like, oh, he's a great guy.

No, no, no, sorry, nope. But honestly, I was just amazed at what came out of him in that speech. It was so impressive. And again, to underscore the most impressive thing is the courage to do what's right, not just to say it. Because we've had a lot of that over the decades. You know, we had George Bush and Mike. Mike Pence kind of piously talking about their beliefs.

And you know what, Mike Pence, I couldn't care less what you claim to believe. What I care about is what you do. And if you don't do what you claim to believe and fight with courage against the tsunami of leftist propaganda, I'm not really interested in what you claim to believe. I would rather, you know, have a pagan who does the right thing than somebody who gives lip service to his biblical worldview. but doesn't live it out. And so Ron DeSantis really and truly impressed me in that. And I was just,

Hey, I had a question. As your radio producer and part of the, let's publicize Eric's Revolution book that's coming out, did you mention to Mr. Beck, who has a wide, wide audience, that you have a book that you're working on? Of course I did.

Great. And he, insisted that I get him an advanced copy. Asap because he says it takes me a long time to read stuff and whatever. And I know he will eat it up because I know Glenn Beck. He will eat it up. There's stuff in there in my Revolution book that, you know, I didn't know until I did the research and stuff. And when you see it, you think, this happens to me every time I write a book, Chris, you find stuff and you think, how have I never seen this before? How have I never heard this before. And then I want to scream it from the rooftop so that everybody knows this.

And I just, you know, again, I have to say that the Christian, the fact that America could not have come into being apart from radical Christians, radical Puritan Reformation Christians, at the top of the, at the head of the pack, John Adams, Samuel, Adams, these were fire-breathing evangelical Protestant Reformation Puritans whose worldview led them to the creation of the United States of America. And they all said that this is, we want to create the first Christian nation in the history of the world. That's what they did.

That's what they did. And by the way, a Christian value is religious liberty, which means you're not officially Christian, right? You're Christian in your core, in your guts, you're Christian. But as a result of truly being Christian, you believe in religious liberty. So if somebody comes in and they don't believe the way you do, you say, that's okay. We don't all have to. We can't, the government can't force you to go to that church or that church or that place or whatever.

That's not the government's job. So that's true Christianity. And so there was so much in the course of writing this book that really surprised me that I'm very excited about it. But yes, Glenn was excited about it. We talked about it. And I just, you know, I think, I mean, I have to say this before we go here, but we're at an extraordinary moment in America. And the moment that we find ourselves in,

this is the 250th. As you know, the term is super centennial. It is a special moment in America. And I guess I think that whatever happens this year, suddenly we're in a war there's all kinds of things happening but I believe God's hand is on this nation for his purposes in history

we're going to see that and I think also I wasn't going to mention this but I should since we have just a moment this thing that happened to me and to Suzanne where we saw a hawk attacking a dove I think

Chris is something you're doing there and if you're hitting your keyboard it's very magnified sorry, the thing that I saw with Suzanne, or I, I'm sorry, we were, we were part, I saw a hawk, grab a dove, was amazed by it, and the next day, Suzanne said, I saw a hawk devouring a dove, and I was amazed. It was the most, you've heard me talk about in this program, but it seems pretty clear that that is a warning about war, that there is war, and that war happens, war can happen,

I think that I think it was a warning, but I also think it's about the, the grimness of war. I think we ought not to be lulled into thinking that a few pinprick strikes on some nuclear facilities is the extent of it with no casualties. We saw at the State of the Union the other day. There are casualties that man could barely walk. He heroically did his job. but he could have died, should have died, he's alive, but war is difficult.

And I guess my instinct is to read that picture that I saw with my own eyes of a dove that was attacked by a hawk and that Suzanne saw the same day in another part miles and miles away from me. That war is, we ought to understand that it's not a joke, and it's not like something we can do from our computers

and there's no blood and there's no death. So the question we have to ask ourselves, is this the right thing? That's it. Is this the right thing? That's the only question. And then before we go here, I want to say,

we must pray for the nation. We must pray for the nation. We must pray for the president. We must pray because when things get tough, you really, you only have to ask one question, is this the right thing? If it's the right thing, you're willing to pay the grim price,

if it's the right thing. So we need to pray for wisdom for the president. Please do that. I know many of you who listen to this, you actually pray. Pray for this president. Pray for this nation. We're living in extraordinary times,

but we get to pray. We get to pray, and God hears our prayers. So we'll leave it at that. God bless you. God bless America. Hey there, folks. I want to tell you about a coffee company. I genuinely admire 10 Boom Coffee,

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