Overview of Ep. 2400 - SCANDAL: Kristi Noem’s Husband Caught In Cross-Dressing Fetish
Host: Ben Shapiro — The Daily Wire
This episode mixes legal and political news with a high-profile personal scandal and longer features. Major items: the Supreme Court’s First Amendment ruling in Childs v. Salazar (striking down Colorado’s therapist “conversion therapy” restrictions as unconstitutional), a legal settlement involving The Daily Wire and the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center funding, a federal court pause on President Trump’s planned East Wing ballroom, the viral scandal involving South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s husband, an in-depth Iran/Strait of Hormuz/security segment (markets and geopolitics), NASA’s Artemis II preview (interview with Jared Isaacman), and a promo/interview for Daily Wire Plus series “Be a Man With Me” (Pavel Wydowski).
Key segments and takeaways
Supreme Court — Childs v. Salazar (conversion therapy law)
- Ruling: 8–1 Supreme Court decision (majority opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch) holding Colorado’s 2019 law banning “conversion therapy” when practiced by licensed counselors with minors violates the First Amendment (content- and viewpoint-based speech restrictions).
- Core reasoning: Licensed talk therapy is speech; the state cannot prohibit counselor speech based on subject matter or viewpoint. The Court warned that disciplining professional speech based on prevailing professional views risks enabling future suppression of dissenting approaches.
- Dissent: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson argued the law restricts a dangerous therapy modality and cited potential harms (stigmatization, long-term distress).
- Implication: Therapists in states with similar statutes may have First Amendment protection to counsel clients about gender/sexuality where treatment does not involve medical/physical interventions. The ruling frames these disputes as partly free-speech issues rather than purely medical-regulatory matters.
The Daily Wire settlement with State Department
- The Daily Wire (and co-plaintiffs) reached a consent decree with the State Department over use of the Global Engagement Center (GEC) to fund outside entities that labeled conservative outlets as “disinformation” to advertisers.
- Outcome: Restrictions on future State Department funding that could be used to support projects aimed at deeming U.S. news outlets disinformation. Presented as a free-speech victory limiting government-funded efforts to influence ad behavior against media organizations.
Federal court halts Trump’s East Wing ballroom project
- A federal judge (appointed by George W. Bush) temporarily enjoined construction of President Trump’s proposed East Wing ballroom, finding the president lacks unilateral authority to undertake substantial modifications to the White House grounds without congressional authorization.
- Judge suggested Congress could authorize the project; litigation remains ongoing.
Kristi Noem husband scandal (Brian Noem)
- Reports (NY Post quoting Daily Mail) allege Brian Noem exchanged messages and images with adult performers linked to a “bimbofication” fetish scene, used props/balloons to mimic oversized breasts, and sent money to performers.
- Ben Shapiro’s framing: sympathy for the family and critique of partisan reactions. He contrasts right- and left-leaning responses, arguing the cultural left tends to weaponize humiliation while simultaneously lacking moral language to condemn the behavior independently of partisan advantage.
- Local reaction: Shapiro notes many locals expressed sympathy and concern for the family rather than schadenfreude.
Iran, Strait of Hormuz, markets, and U.S. policy
- Markets: Stocks and oil reacted to developments and the prospect of de-escalation.
- Geopolitics: Trump scheduled primetime address; Shapiro discusses coalition options, UAE willingness to act to secure the Strait of Hormuz, and Saudi pressure for a decisive outcome against Iran.
- Strategy commentary: Shapiro argues the U.S. aim is to degrade Iran’s conventional missile/drone capabilities and remove their ability to threaten shipping or hide a nuclear weapons program behind a protective missile shield.
- Incidents: Reported kidnapping of an American freelance journalist in Baghdad by an Iran-linked militia; Iran’s leadership appearing publicly amid internal strain.
- Diplomatic notes: China and Pakistan reportedly suggested ceasefire/negotiation preconditions to reopen the strait; Shapiro critiques those demands and contends Iran could rejoin the global economy by stopping proxy wars, missile development, and Strait harassment.
NASA Artemis II preview — interview with Jared Isaacman
- Artemis II overview: Crewed test flight to orbit the Moon, highest speeds/distance for humans, ~10-day mission with splashdown off U.S. West Coast. Artemis II will test spacecraft systems ahead of Artemis III (lunar landings) and later sustained lunar presence.
- Long-term goal: Build capabilities for sustained lunar operations, in-situ resource utilization (water/propellant production), and a proving ground for Mars missions.
- Rationale: Renewed focus, competition (China), and a higher cadence of launches are central to regaining momentum in crewed deep-space exploration.
UK developments & domestic items
- UK: Government will stop recording everyday disputes and social-media spats as “non-crime hate incidents” — presented as a rollback of overbroad policing. Also announced a national inquiry into grooming gang scandals after earlier cover-ups.
- U.S. domestic: Commentary on gas prices (contextualized historically), and note that prices likely fall if Iran’s threat to the Strait of Hormuz is neutralized.
Daily Wire Plus promo — “Be a Man With Me” (Pavel Wydowski)
- New series showcasing everyday “silent heroes” (firefighters, farmers, police, linemen, medevac crews) to explore traditional masculinity and service. Pavel describes being humbled and learning resilience through immersive episodes.
Notable quotes/highlights
- From the SCOTUS majority (summarized by Shapiro quoting Gorsuch): Laws that regulate speech by subject matter or viewpoint are presumptively unconstitutional; silencing dissenting professional speech risks grave historical consequences.
- President Trump (quoted via Truth Social): “We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free and clear. Until then, we’re blasting Iran into oblivion…back to the Stone Ages.” (Expresses hardline posture ahead of primetime address.)
- Shapiro’s framing on political reactions to private scandal: The left often weaponizes humiliation of political opponents while lacking moral frameworks to condemn sexual/taboo behavior outside the consent-only standard.
Main implications and what to watch next
- Legal/First Amendment: Childs v. Salazar may limit states’ ability to regulate counselor speech on gender/sexuality and could prompt legislative and regulatory responses elsewhere.
- Media/government relations: Daily Wire settlement constrains State Department channels that might be used to indirectly influence perceptions of U.S. media outlets.
- Iran conflict: Watch President Trump’s primetime address, UAE/Saudi moves regarding the Strait of Hormuz, reported kidnappings, and how markets react to de-escalation or escalation.
- Political fallout: Kristi Noem’s family situation may drive local sympathy but national partisan controversy; expect continued media coverage and discussion about cultural double standards.
- Space program: Artemis II launch and related tests are immediate milestones; success/failure will affect timelines for subsequent lunar missions and broader U.S. space strategy.
Quick summary (2–3 line)
Ben Shapiro’s episode covers a Supreme Court free-speech win for therapists, The Daily Wire’s legal settlement stopping certain State Department-funded disinformation-labeling projects, a paused Trump White House construction, and a scandal involving Governor Kristi Noem’s husband — all placed alongside deep dives into the Iran conflict, market effects, NASA’s Artemis II mission, and a Daily Wire Plus series promo. The episode blends legal analysis, geopolitical commentary, and cultural critique aimed at listeners wanting conservative perspectives on current events.
Recommended follow-ups (if you want to monitor these stories)
- Read the Supreme Court opinion in Childs v. Salazar for exact legal reasoning and scope.
- Track the consent-decree text for the State Department settlement for specific limitations and enforcement mechanics.
- Monitor Trump’s primetime address and subsequent U.S./coalition military/diplomatic moves on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.
- Watch for continuing reporting on Brian Noem to see confirmations, family statements, and political fallout.
- Follow NASA updates on Artemis II launch window and mission milestones.