Torch...
Welcome to Torch. EVERYTHING is about to CHANGE...Torch - Glenn Beck’s bold new venture - builds on his legacy from Fox News and TheBlaze to ignite a deeper moral and spiritual renewal among Americans weary of digital distractions. Torch plants seeds in mind and soul, strengthening America’s moral spine through self-directed education in history, liberty, faith, philosophy, and personal responsibility.
Torch: Watch, listen, and go deeper — free this monthTorch is offering free access through the end of the month to exclusive Glenn Beck content, including the new Insider Feed, Days of Ash, hiSTORY, The American Story: The Beginnings and upcoming originals on voice, faith, music, and economic survival.
Starts today! A brand new show takes you backstage with Glenn during the radio showStarting today, Jason Buttrill — Glenn Beck’s head writer and chief researcher — takes you behind the curtain before the mic goes live and during breaks, connecting Glenn’s past work in real time, reacting to breaking news, and interacting directly with viewers as the show unfolds.
Poll: Got Torch questions? Submit them hereWhile we've shared glimpses of this exciting project, we know many of you are eager for more insights. That's why we've created a poll to gather your thoughtful questions.
News...Costly refugee funding on the table as they rake in over a dozen taxpayer benefitsRefugee assistance spending jumped from under $2B to nearly $10B under Biden as large Afghan and Somali resettlements drove soaring demand for housing, welfare, health care, and cash programs — with many households remaining dependent even after years in the US.
How a viral video prompted investigations into alleged fraud at day care centers in MinnesotaAfter a YouTube video by conservative creator Nick Shirley showed multiple publicly funded Minnesota day care centers were operating without children or services, DHS and state regulators conducted on-site inspections, with Kristi Noem confirming the video helped trigger a broader federal fraud probe.
Director of Minnesota day care featured in YouTube video on fraud respondsOn Dec. 16, 2025, security footage shows various people throughout the day dropping off young children at the state-licensed ABC Learning Center in Minneapolis. That same day, YouTuber Nick Shirley arrived and claimed that the day care was among many in Minnesota that were empty.
Trump posts chart proving 72% of US Somali households are on welfareOther groups shown with high welfare participation rates include households from Bhutan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and several African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean nations.
Aaron Ruper: The blame for alleged fraud in Minnesota belongs to conservativesPrivatization and a lack of oversight creates a vicious cycle.
Babylon Bee: Republicans vow to uncover all Somali fraud and then do nothing about it except fundraise"We should get some more Somali people over here. That could really be shot in the arm for our campaigns."
Dan Bongino officially leaves the FBI, returns to civilian lifeBongino first announced mid-December that he would be departing from the bureau in the New Year. On Saturday, Bongino made his departure official, signing off in a post on X.
Foiled ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack planned for North CarolinaProsecutors say an 18-year-old Burger King employee plotted to stab shoppers and diners after pledging support to ISIS online, with the FBI seizing weapons, target lists, and a written plan outlining a mass-casualty attack before arresting him.
Blaze News: Pipe-bomb suspect Brian Cole has Level 1 autism spectrum disorder, OCD — new facts that recast case against himThe FBI’s tactics in interrogating a man the defense asserts has autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder will likely become a major bone of contention for defense attorneys.
Space Force family’s home torched in suspected anti-military attackTwo officers say their D.C. house was burglarized, set ablaze in multiple locations, and vandalized with anti-Trump and anti-military messages while they were away, leaving their home destroyed and their cat dead as police investigate a suspect found with items from the scene.
Victor Davis Hanson recovering after surgery to remove cancerous tumorThe Hoover Institution Senior Fellow says he’s “hopeful” as he heals following a difficult nine-month diagnostic battle, thanking supporters for their prayers while he focuses on recovery.
America 250...Torch: America isn't perfect, and that's okayFrom Pocahontas saving John Smith at Jamestown to betrayal, captivity, and an early death, the nation’s origin story is one of courage and cruelty intertwined—a theme at the heart of Glenn Beck’s upcoming cinematic history series debuting today as part of The American Story: The Beginnings.
Without George Washington, America wouldn’t have a 250th birthdayNo one looms larger in the story of our nation’s struggle for independence than George Washington, who today seems almost mythical.
Politics...One in fifty million: the mathematical impossibility of congressional luckPelosi’s improbable stock wins, Omar’s massive financial jump, and sweeping fraud in programs like Minnesota’s child-care system show a system protecting insiders, and Trump needs to use existing federal audit powers to freeze funds, claw back money, and finally impose real accountability.
Nate Silver: The 51 biggest American political moments of the 21st centuryHere
are the biggest events starting in 2000.
Top 5 funniest Trump moments of 2025President Trump has secured a spot as one of the most iconic figures in American history. While many of his significant political actions are certain to be remembered, so will the countless clips and memes throughout his time in office.
WSJ: As signs of aging emerge, Trump responds with defiancePresident Trump isn’t interested in an exercise routine other than golf. “I just don’t like it. It’s boring,” Trump said.
NY Times: Mamdani is first New York mayor to use the Quran at his swearing-inFor the hundreds of thousands of Muslim residents who have taken pride in seeing one of their own rise to the mayoralty, his inauguration brought another significant first.
Video: Zohran Mamdani at his NYC inaugurationWe will "replace rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism."
Biden’s ‘extravagant’ pension is largest of any president in history – and even more than what he earned as prez“It’s pretty unusual, historically unusual, to have such a large pension amount,” National Taxpayer Union Foundation Vice President Demian Brady told The Post.
Pennsylvania politicians cash in with automatic raises as governor becomes highest paid in the nationShapiro’s salary jumps to $253,870 while lawmakers making $113,000 meet fewer than 90 days a year, even as the state delivered a budget 135 days late and residents earn a median of just $76,000.
Economy...
Torch: The plan to control your cash & how to stop itWith the economy feeling shakier by the day, many Americans are steeling themselves for more Big Government overreach—like capital controls. These are often spun as protective steps to stabilize the economy, but the truth is, they're really about the Federal Government gaining even more control over your life.
A wealth tax floated in California has billionaires thinking of leavingIt’s uncertain whether the proposal will reach the statewide ballot in November, but some billionaires like Peter Thiel and Larry Page may be unwilling to take the risk.
New year starts with lower gas prices in the U.S.The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline slipped to about $2.83 in the first days of the new year, which is roughly 23 cents cheaper than the same time last year.
Immigration...Swalwell says he’ll strip driver’s licenses from ICE officers who wear masks if governor“If the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California,” Swalwell told Ms NOW.
WAR News...Trump says stabilizing Venezuela comes before elections as he downplays backing opposition leadersHe argues no contender, including Nobel laureate María Corina Machado, has enough support to lead right now and says the US must first restore order and rebuild the shattered economy after Maduro’s capture, calling the operation a “complete and total victory.”
Maduro’s no. 2 drops tough talk, offers cooperation with United States"We extend an invitation to the US government to work together on a cooperation agenda."
US does not have ‘forces on the ground’ in Venezuela, Rubio saysRubio’s comments come as questions remain on the extent of U.S. military involvement in the region. President Donald Trump said, “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground” and vowed the U.S. would “run” Venezuela while Maduro faces charges.
Rubio says US will use oil leverage to shape Venezuela’s transition after ousting of Maduro"No more drug trafficking. No more Iran/Hezbollah presence there, and no more using the oil industry to enrich all our adversaries around the world."
Turley: The legality of the United States capturing Nicolás Maduro and his wifeThis operation will be justified as executing the criminal warrant and responding to an international drug cartel, a very similar legal framework to the one used against Noriega. There is precedent supporting that earlier operation, which will now be used to defend the actions in Venezuela.
Mock house, CIA source and Special Forces: The US operation to capture MaduroThe action came as a surprise, but according to sources familiar with the matter, planning for one of the most complex U.S. operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals.
Maduro and his wife to appear in court on MondayVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan on Monday at noon.
Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hoursAn overnight wave of Marxist and communist groups pushed synchronized messaging, mobilized street protests in dozens of cities, and echoed China and Russia’s narratives after Maduro’s capture, revealing a pre-positioned influence network working to undermine US action and rally support for the Venezuelan regime.
DHS encourages Venezuelans in the US to go home ‘to the country they love’ now that Maduro is gone“President Trump is bringing stability to Venezuela and bringing to justice an illegitimate narco-terrorist dictator who stole from his own people.”
Communists swarm NYC to rally, recruit—demand release of MaduroCrowds were seen in Times Square holding signs that read “Release Maduro” and images of Maduro alongside the phrase “Stand with the Bolivian Revolution."
NYC's new communist mayor called Trump to express opposition to Maduro’s capture"I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act," Mamdani claimed.
Rubio mocks Kamala Harris for shocking double-standard after she criticized Maduro arrest“In the Biden administration, they had a $25 million reward for his capture. So, we have a reward for his capture, but we’re not going to enforce it? That’s the difference between President Trump and everybody else. President Trump did something about it.”
Flashback: Joe Biden claims Trump admires Maduro"Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro. As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy."
Latin America...Trump signals Mexican cartels may be next after Maduro: 'Something is going to have to be done'The president said that "something has to be done" with the cartels in Mexico.
After Venezuela, Rubio says Cuba is ‘in a lot of trouble’"I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime."
Trump: Colombia’s president ‘likes making cocaine,’ won’t ‘be doing it very long’Asked whether the United States might launch another operation to seize Gustavo Petro from Colombia, Trump responded, "sounds good to me."
Middle East...Eyes turn to Iran as Trump’s State Dept posts warning shots in Farsi, Iran tests missile defenseThe State Department’s Farsi-language X account posted a series of ominous messages late Sunday as the Iranian regime conducted missile tests and security forces continued their crackdown on demonstrators around the country, defying Trump’s call for a stop to violence.
Maduro bragged just days before capture that Iranian air-defense systems would protect Venezuela“The national defensive system that combines the Popular Force, military, and police has guaranteed and continues to guarantee territorial integrity...”
Growing Iran protests rattle leaders as Trump threatens to interveneThe unrest, sparked by economic protests from Tehran shopkeepers, is spreading and adds to a list of pressures on the regime.
Europe...After Venezuela raid, Trump says ‘We do need Greenland, absolutely’Asked what the U.S.-military action in Venezuela could portend for Greenland, Trump replied: “They are going to have to view it themselves. I really don’t know.”
Rubio says Americans could one day be detained in Europe for social media postsThe Trump administration has criticized several European policies that require platforms to remove certain categories of speech, saying they undermine freedom of expression.
Entertainment...Torch: Glenn Beck channels Orson Welles in shocking audio dramaGet tomorrow's news today with Glenn’s brand new audio drama, Days of Ash, a fully produced 10-episode thriller voiced by Glenn himself, complete with immersive sound effects that pull you into a near-future America on the brink.
Trump blasts Clooneys’ move to France as peak Hollywood hypocrisyTrump blasts the move as another example of elites running from the chaos they helped create, saying the pair backed failed Democrats from Biden to Harris while lecturing Americans from the safety of Europe.
Education...A list of the yearly campaign contributions from the American Federation of Teachers to DemocratsBetween 1996 and 2024, the numbers range from 98% to 99.97%.
Religion...Scott Adams announces he will convert to Christianity in his final days"My understanding is you're never too late. And on top of that, any skepticism I have about reality would certainly be instantly answered if I wake up in heaven."
OnlyFans porn star who slept with 1,100 men in a single day turns to Christ and gets baptized“I got baptised on Sunday. It was excellent. It was just really nice to kind of reinstate my relationship with God because it kind of deviated for quite a bit of time,” Lily Phillips told a British tabloid.
Baby Jesus statue stolen from Long Island government building returned"The Baby Jesus statue that was reported stolen from a Nativity scene … has been returned."
Sports...Former Vikings captain Jack Brewer opens up about witnessing Minnesota's 'Somali elite' amid fraud revelationsFormer NFL player Jack Brewer said he's seen high-end business involving the "elite" Somali population in Minnesota up close. In the process, he witnessed a demographic and class transformation in his home state.
