THOUGHTCRIME Ep. 120 — AI President? 42-Year-Old Soldiers? Pagan Lord of the Rings?

Summary of THOUGHTCRIME Ep. 120 — AI President? 42-Year-Old Soldiers? Pagan Lord of the Rings?

by Charlie Kirk

1h 9m•March 28, 2026
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Overview of THOUGHTCRIME Ep. 120 — AI President? 42-Year-Old Soldiers? Pagan Lord of the Rings?

Charlie Kirk hosts a live Thursday edition of ThoughtCrime recorded at CPAC (Dallas). The episode features on‑site producer Jack, newcomer Russ, and regular contributors (Blake and others). They cover five main threads: Joe Rogan’s joking/serious suggestion of an “AI president,” AI recreations of historical figures (Glenn Beck’s AI George Washington), the possibility of AI versions of modern leaders (an “AI Trump”), new U.S. military enlistment rules raising the maximum age and easing marijuana waivers, Peter Jackson/Stephen Colbert’s Lord of the Rings project and whether LOTR is Christian or pagan (and whether it’s queer‑coded), and a strange true‑crime story about a quadruple‑amputee cornhole pro accused of murder. The conversation mixes political commentary, tech skepticism (AI bias and vulnerability), pop‑culture debate, and a personal/tragic human interest story.

Key segments and takeaways

1) AI president — Rogan clip sparks debate

  • Joe Rogan said he'd be willing to cede the executive branch to an AI he trusts (“President Perplexity”) to manage society fairly and predictably.
  • Panel reactions:
    • Concern that an AI president would be predictable and thus dangerous in international crises (e.g., adversaries could game its decisions).
    • Practical issues: who prompts the AI, which model/guardrails are used (Claude, Grok, Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.), and bias/values baked into each model.
    • Some joked an AI version of Trump could be convincing — there’s enough recorded material to create a highly realistic “AI Trump,” and some of the base might accept it.
  • Technical/political objections: EMP vulnerability, predictability in wartime, and the problem of AI alignment (goals and values).

2) AI reenactments and “President Apex”

  • Glenn Beck’s AI George Washington demo was discussed as a valid use (historical narration) if presented as recreation, not contemporary policymaking.
  • They experimented with Grok: prompts that combined the best traits of all presidents produced a hypothetical “President Apex” — described as incorruptible, hyper‑rational, zero ego, maximizing long‑term American flourishing.
  • Panel skepticism: even a “best‑of” AI risks losing human judgment, nuance, and unpredictability that can be strategically useful.

3) AI model differences and bias

  • Discussed bias differences among models: Claude considered “woke/liberal,” Grok (Elon’s) seen as more permissive in hypotheticals, ChatGPT good at images and synthesis.
  • Examples cited: resume‑ranking tests where many models displayed racial or other biases unless tuned.
  • Practical point: not all AIs are the same; each carries different political/ethical priors.

4) Military enlistment age and marijuana policy changes

  • News: DoD raised the maximum enlisted accession age from 34 to 42 and eased marijuana-related waivers.
  • Charlie and Jack’s read: largely administrative normalization of existing wavier practices amid recruitment demand — not necessarily evidence of imminent draft or collapse.
  • Caveats: Special programs (Special Forces, security clearances) will still have stricter rules; details matter.

5) Peter Jackson + Stephen Colbert LOTR project & cultural debate

  • Peter Jackson said he and Colbert will develop a script based on material early in The Fellowship (chapters 3–8: “Three’s Company” through “Fog on the Barrow‑Downs”) using a framing device with Sam, his daughter, and elderly Merry and Pippin.
  • Panel argued over whether LOTR is:
    • Overtly Christian (C.S. Lewis was overt), or
    • More pagan/mythic (Tolkien drew on Norse/Anglo‑Saxon myth; the work is intended as a mythology for England/earth).
  • They also debated “queer‑coding” claims:
    • Grok (conservative AI) said LOTR is not queer‑coded.
    • Claude (liberal AI) noted emotional intimacy and modern queer readings of Sam & Frodo.
  • Overall: panelists agreed Tolkien’s work reads more like mythic/pagan storytelling, while themes of light vs. darkness have spiritual resonance.

6) Quadruple‑amputee cornhole pro accused of murder

  • Story: Dayton Weber, a quadruple‑amputee cornhole professional who lost his limbs to a bacterial infection as a child, is accused of fatally shooting a man while driving.
  • Reaction: panelists expressed mixed feelings — admiration for his resilience and outrage/sadness about the alleged crime. The case captured social media attention for its unusual and tragic elements.

Notable quotes and moments

  • Joe Rogan (clip): “President Perplexity is going to run this country fairly and balanced. I’m willing to try it at this point.”
  • Grok’s “President Apex” summary (from the panel’s Grok prompt): an incorruptible, hyper‑rational leader “with perfect recall, real‑time data analysis, zero ego and zero tolerance for corruption,” combining policy strengths across past presidents.
  • Strategic concern voiced by panel: an AI chief of state could remove unpredictability from deterrence (adversaries could better forecast and exploit fixed decision rules).

Big-picture implications & questions raised

  • AI governance: Who decides the values/constraints for an AI that holds public power? How do we avoid gaming/predictability and ensure accountability?
  • Military readiness vs. optics: Raising enlistment age likely streamlines recruitment but generates questions about sourcing manpower versus systemic issues (recruitment pipelines, readiness).
  • Cultural production & adaptation: Revisiting Tolkien’s lesser‑known material raises the perennial debate over fidelity to source material, auteur influence (Jackson), and modern reinterpretation (Colbert).
  • Media and empathy: Human interest stories (the Weber case) highlight how viral headlines can mix inspiration and tragedy — and the ethical complexities of public reaction.

Recommended follow‑ups (for listeners who want more)

  • If interested in the AI presidency topic: read primers on AI alignment, “value loading,” and the risks of predictable automated decision‑making in international security.
  • For the military policy change: look up official DoD guidance on accession age and waiver policies and track how enlistment metrics evolve post‑announcement.
  • For LOTR fans: follow Peter Jackson/Colbert updates and re‑read the early Fellowship chapters to understand what material was skipped in the original films (Tom Bombadil, Barrow‑downs).
  • For the Dayton Weber case: monitor local court reporting for charges, evidence, and trial progress.

Tone and context

  • The episode is conversational, partisan‑conservative in framing and perspective, recorded live from CPAC. It blends tech skepticism and cultural commentary with on‑the‑ground political energy. Hosts toggle between serious national security concerns and lighter pop‑culture banter; guests often riff and joke, producing both substantive points and comedic asides.

For full context and source links, see the episode page at charliekirk.com (episode released to podcasts later in the weekend).