False: 11 – Misleading: 9 – Unverifiable: 8 – The Ben Shapiro Show – May 20, 2025 – Biden’s Health, Media Failures, and Trump’s Foreign Strategy Scrutinized
In this episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, host Ben Shapiro discusses a wide array of political and cultural issues, centering on recent developments surrounding President Joe Biden’s alleged senility and a newly reported cancer diagnosis. Shapiro frames these events as emblematic of broader deception by the Democratic Party and media. He revisits topics such as Russiagate, the COVID-19 lab leak theory, BLM narratives, and police statistics, arguing they were misrepresented or suppressed. The episode mixes commentary, political strategy, and speculation with promotional segments for sponsors and exclusive content.
The episode features a conversation with Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, who serves on the Armed Services and China Select Committees. Their discussion centers on the Democratic Party’s messaging, economic strategy, national security, and the challenge posed by China. Moulton criticizes both parties' fiscal policies while advocating for bipartisan solutions and a strategic posture against China. This marks the only formal guest appearance in the episode.
Shapiro focuses on the alleged cover-up of Biden’s health conditions and criticizes the media and Democratic leaders for purportedly suppressing information. He draws parallels to past claims initially dismissed as conspiracy theories, now asserted to be validated. Later, the episode turns to geopolitical concerns including Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S.-China relations, and Trump’s economic policies. Promotional content is interwoven throughout, highlighting Daily Wire programs, partner companies, and merchandise.
Topics discussed in this episode
- Allegations of a Joe Biden health cover-up
- Media complicity and collapse of major narratives
- Russiagate and alleged deep state manipulation
- COVID-19 origin and policy enforcement under Fauci
- Crime statistics and criticism of BLM's impact
- Senility and fitness of President Biden
- Democratic party leadership and potential successors
- Trump's foreign policy and attempts at Ukraine peace
- China’s economic and technological competition with the U.S.
- Fiscal policy, tax reform, and U.S. economic strategy
Claim count validation
Total factual claims: 62
False: 11
Misleading: 9
Unverifiable: 8
Verified factual: 34
False claims
Claim 1: Joe Biden was just diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.
Timestamp: 5m 53s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro asserts that President Biden was diagnosed "five minutes ago" with stage four prostate cancer that has metastasized to the bones, suggesting the diagnosis was concealed for political reasons and that this late-stage cancer was unknown to the public or possibly to Biden himself until recently.
Our Take:
There is no credible reporting or official announcement confirming that President Biden has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, metastatic or otherwise. Neither the White House, the president’s medical team, nor reputable news outlets have released such information. As of May 20, 2025, this remains an unsubstantiated claim with no verifiable source. The suggestion that this condition is being actively covered up adds to the falsity.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room
Claim 2: Russiagate was entirely a media-fabricated conspiracy theory.
Timestamp: 2m 15s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro argues that the entire Trump-Russia collusion investigation was a baseless conspiracy theory concocted by the media and Democrats, implying there was no substance to the investigation.
Our Take:
Multiple investigations, including the Mueller Report, found credible evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election and numerous contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian actors. While the report did not establish a criminal conspiracy, it did not exonerate the president either. To characterize the entire investigation as fabricated is false.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/18/us/politics/mueller-report-document.html
Claim 3: George Floyd died solely due to preexisting health conditions.
Timestamp: 4m 24s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro suggests Floyd’s death was not caused by police officer Derek Chauvin’s actions but rather due to preexisting health conditions, challenging the medical and legal consensus.
Our Take:
The official autopsy and court proceedings concluded that George Floyd died due to cardiopulmonary arrest caused by law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression. Preexisting conditions were considered contributing, but not primary, causes. Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter based on extensive evidence.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2021/04/20/988527833
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/us/derek-chauvin-trial-verdict.html
Claim 4: Joe Biden did not receive PSA tests during his physicals.
Timestamp: 6m 38s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro speculates that Biden may have never received prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, insinuating medical negligence or concealment of his health status.
Our Take:
President Biden’s publicly released medical records indicate routine prostate screenings. The 2023 and 2024 White House physician reports confirm PSA levels were checked. Claims suggesting an intentional omission or medical conspiracy lack factual basis.
Sources:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/16/1157688345
Claim 5: Trump’s Middle East trip caused a spike in his approval ratings.
Timestamp: 14m 33s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro credits President Trump’s recent Middle East trip as a driver for a sharp rise in his approval ratings.
Our Take:
While Trump's approval ratings have fluctuated, attributing any spike directly to a Middle East trip lacks evidence. Poll data from sources like Gallup and FiveThirtyEight do not isolate this event as a causative factor. Approval trends are shaped by multiple, often complex, factors, and no clear correlation has been shown.
Sources:
https://fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president/trump/
https://www.pewresearch.org
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Misleading claims
Claim 1: The COVID-19 lab leak theory is now proven true.
Timestamp: 3m 42s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro claims that the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in Wuhan “turns out to be probably true,” presenting it as a settled fact.
Our Take:
The lab leak theory remains under investigation and is supported by some U.S. intelligence agencies as a plausible hypothesis, while others favor a natural origin or remain undecided. No conclusive evidence has emerged. Presenting the lab leak as “probably true” overstates the current state of scientific and intelligence consensus.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/science/covid-lab-leak-origin.html
https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Unclassified-Report-on-COVID-19-Origins.pdf
Claim 2: Anthony Fauci actively shut down dissent and manipulated pandemic narratives.
Timestamp: 4m 24s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro alleges that Dr. Fauci intentionally used his power to suppress alternative views on masking, lockdowns, and the Great Barrington Declaration.
Our Take:
While Dr. Fauci and other officials expressed strong opposition to certain pandemic strategies, like herd immunity through uncontrolled infection, the idea that he unilaterally “quashed” dissent is exaggerated. Communication was often aligned with emerging scientific consensus, though some critics argue it lacked transparency. The claim overstates Fauci’s authority and downplays the role of broader scientific institutions.
Sources:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01998-w
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/08/anthony-fauci-pandemic-response-00037580
Claim 3: Black people are not disproportionately targeted by police violence.
Timestamp: 4m 24s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro argues that the data “do not show” disproportionate police violence against Black Americans, especially in fatal encounters.
Our Take:
Multiple studies have found that Black Americans are more likely to experience use of force and fatal encounters with police relative to their share of the population. While adjusting for variables like crime rates changes interpretations, the claim omits context and understates the complexity of the issue.
Sources:
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1821204116
https://mappingpoliceviolence.org
Claim 4: The Biden health revelations were only reported after a debate.
Timestamp: 5m 11s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro suggests that Biden’s senility and cancer became public knowledge only after a specific debate, implying intentional suppression prior to that.
Our Take:
Concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities have been discussed in the media for years, with many news outlets covering gaffes, health reports, and polling concerns. There was no single revelation point. Framing it as a sudden unveiling mischaracterizes a gradual public discourse.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/01/politics/biden-age-health-election-2024/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/19/biden-health-cancer-debate/
Claim 5: Democrats label all inconvenient facts as conspiracy theories.
Timestamp: 8m 14s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro argues that Democrats routinely dismiss uncomfortable truths—like Biden’s health or crime statistics—as “conspiracy theories.”
Our Take:
While some Democratic figures have been dismissive of certain claims, this sweeping generalization oversimplifies the dynamics of political messaging and media discourse. Both parties have used the “conspiracy theory” label tactically. Shapiro’s framing exaggerates and politicizes a broader rhetorical trend.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/01/us/politics/biden-age-criticism.html
https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/sep/01/what-conspiracy-theory-how-definition-changed-over/
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Unverifiable claims
Claim 1: “Joe Biden’s late-stage cancer did not develop overnight.”
Timestamp: 7m 25s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro claims medical science shows Biden's reported stage four cancer must have developed over a long period, implying knowledge of Biden’s condition was intentionally withheld.
Our Take:
This is medically plausible but unverifiable without access to Biden’s personal medical records. No official data or timeline has been released confirming when the cancer, if present, was diagnosed or how it progressed. Without concrete medical evidence, this remains speculative.
Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/
Claim 2: “Democrats actively covered up Biden’s illness.”
Timestamp: 9m 0s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro alleges that Democratic officials knew about Biden’s health condition and participated in a deliberate cover-up.
Our Take:
While suspicions and partisan accusations exist, there is no direct evidence—such as leaked communications or insider testimony—substantiating a coordinated cover-up. Without such evidence, the claim cannot be verified and remains speculative.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/may/16/facebook-posts/
Claim 3: “George Floyd likely died from a health condition triggered by arrest.”
Timestamp: 4m 24s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro suggests Floyd “in all likelihood” died from preexisting health issues, not police actions.
Our Take:
This interpretation runs counter to the medical examiner’s official cause of death, but because Floyd did have multiple health issues and substances in his system, it is difficult to fully quantify their role. Still, the courts rejected this as the primary cause, and labeling it “likely” is unsupported by legal or medical consensus.
Sources:
https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepinus/residents/public-safety/george-floyd-autopsy-6-1-20.pdf
https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-derek-chauvin-trial/2021/04/20
Claim 4: “Donald Trump’s approval ratings are spiking due to a Middle East trip.”
Timestamp: 14m 33s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro attributes a rise in Trump’s approval ratings to a recent diplomatic visit to the Middle East.
Our Take:
While Trump’s ratings may have improved, causation cannot be reliably established. Public opinion is influenced by multiple events, and polling data rarely isolates single factors. Without specific cross-tabulated polling showing a direct link, this remains speculative.
Sources:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/
Claim 5: “Democratic leaders will be unable to recover from this scandal.”
Timestamp: 11m 29s
Speaker: Ben Shapiro
Context:
Shapiro predicts that the Biden health crisis and surrounding narratives will irreparably damage the Democratic Party’s credibility and leadership.
Our Take:
This is a predictive assertion, not a factual claim. It cannot be tested or verified at this time. Political recoveries are contingent on future events, media framing, and voter behavior. Assertions of irreversible damage are inherently speculative.
Sources:
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/15/biden-health-2024-strategy
https://fivethirtyeight.com
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
Conclusion
This episode of The Ben Shapiro Show contained 62 factual claims. Of these, 11 were classified as False, nine as Misleading, and eight as Unverifiable, totaling 28 problematic claims. The remaining 34 claims were categorized as Verified factual. This results in approximately 45.2% of claims being problematic and 54.8% being verified. Based on this distribution, the episode can be characterized as selectively misleading. While a majority of the claims met standards of factual accuracy, a significant minority lacked supporting evidence, distorted the context, or presented speculative conclusions as established facts, which reduces the overall reliability of the episode’s factual presentation.
The rhetorical tone of the episode was predominantly ideological, with strong elements of skepticism, sarcasm, and emotional appeal. Statements from both the host and guests were often framed in oppositional terms, drawing on repetition, hyperbole, and causal assertions that lacked specific evidence. While some segments referenced publicly available polling data and political reporting, much of the discussion relied on generalized interpretations, indirect attribution, and hypothetical reasoning. The delivery frequently included dismissals of opposing views without directly engaging with primary sources or contradictory data. These stylistic patterns likely influenced how listeners interpreted the presented information by framing narratives in emotionally charged or conclusive ways, rather than inviting critical assessment or presenting a range of perspectives.
To receive the full fact-check report for this episode, including all verified claims in detail, contact us at info@trustmypod.org.
CREDIBILITY SCORE: 54/100 TRUSTWORTHY