France Is On Fire. Here's How America May Be Next | Guest: Simone Rodan-Benzaquen | 10/19/26

October 19, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

France Is On Fire. Here's How America May Be Next

France's streets are burning, and the violence that erupted this weekend is not a spontaneous student protest—it is a coordinated political operation timed to coincide with a critical budget vote that will determine whether Europe's second-largest economy can avoid a debt crisis. Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, senior envoy for Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joined the program from Paris to explain what is really happening and why it matters far beyond France.

What the Riots Are Actually About

The official story is that the protests began over school reforms, but that narrative has been overtaken by events. "What we are currently seeing has nothing to do with the school protests anymore," Rodan-Benzaquen said. "Those poor students have been robbed of their cause within a couple of weeks." What is unfolding instead is "an attempt by different political actors, radical far-left and anti-fa movements, Islamist forces, and external actors to bring down the country and the state."

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Show Open & France Crisis Overview** - Glenn Beck introduces the episode by framing the riots in France as a preview of what is coming to America, urging listeners to pay attention.
2 (05:11) **Footage of the Paris Riots & Political Context** - Beck plays video clips of the destruction in Paris and Milan, connecting the riots to the upcoming French budget vote and the presidential election.
3 (12:21) **The "Miller Family" Analogy for European Debt** - Beck uses a detailed analogy of a family (the Millers) to explain how France's massive debt and lack of a budget since 1973 threatens the entire European and global economy.
4 (18:00) **Why France Matters to America** - Beck explains that Europe's debt crisis and instability will directly impact American jobs, retirement accounts, and interest rates.
5 (21:43) **The Orchestrated Nature of the Riots & The "Trap"** - Beck argues the riots are not a spontaneous student protest but a political trap designed to force a choice between a Marxist and a "fascist" candidate.
6 (24:20) **The "Red-Green Alliance" and the Real Agenda** - Beck identifies the coalition driving the chaos as a "red-green alliance" of Marxists and Islamists, with foreign enemies like Iran cheering from the sidelines.
7 (35:04) **The Spread to England and the "Bubba Effect"** - Beck shows a video of an anti-migrant activist being arrested in England and warns this is the beginning of a citizen uprising called the "Bubba Effect."

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Show Notes

What is happening in France? Glenn comments on the ongoing political unrest across the seas and explains how it relates to what Americans are struggling with. Leftists are trying to claim the protests in France are fueled by angry college students, but Glenn explains how France’s street violence is actually being fueled by rising living costs, which are leading to unsustainable debt and political extremes, which are then being manipulated and encouraged by outside agitators. Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Envoy for Europe Simone Rodan-Benzaquen joins to break down how the riots in France stem from far-left impunity and failed immigration policy. Critics of President Trump are accusing him of being a traitor after making a diesel fuel deal with Russia, but Glenn points out the hypocrisy of that viewpoint. Glenn and Jason discuss the latest bombshell information given to them by DataRepublican, which exposes leftist organizers discussing how they’re connecting with "the people who give political legitimacy" and how they want to "brief governors." Was this summer the last time Glenn could take his children to see France before it fell?

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