The Michael Knowles Show Friendly Fire: Terror, Trump, and the Worst Movie of the Year
Dec 17, 2025
Batya Ungar-Sargon, a journalist known for her insights on immigration and American exceptionalism, joins the discussion. They delve into the challenges of assimilation in U.S. Muslim communities compared to those in Europe. The panel debates radical Islam as a civilizational threat and explores the intersection of religious conservatism and secular liberalism. Batya also challenges the effectiveness of tariffs, while the group critiques the worst movies they've endured this year, providing plenty of laughs along the way.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Radical Islam As A Civilizational Threat
- The panel argues that radical Islamic terrorism is a persistent civilizational threat that resurged in recent years.
- They link higher local Muslim populations and enclave non-assimilation to increased terror and crime in Europe.
Why America Differs From Europe
- Batya Ungar-Sargon stresses U.S. exceptionalism reduces Europe's risk due to different immigrant classes and stronger assimilation.
- She argues American Muslims tend to be smaller in number, more middle-class, and more assimilated than European counterparts.
Population Share Drives Risk
- Ben Shapiro emphasizes percentage demographics explain differing terrorism exposure between the U.S. and Europe.
- He notes 2% Muslim population in the U.S. versus much higher shares in major European cities drives risk variance.