Making Sense with Sam Harris

#455 — More From Sam: Guns, Propaganda, AI, and Power Unbound

January 30, 2026

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  • Sam Harris expresses astonishment at the near-total lack of outrage from American gun culture following the killing of Alex Predi by federal officers, viewing the incident as a complete repudiation of the Second Amendment's stated purpose against tyranny. 
  • The hosts note the escalating death toll in Iran's protests, suggesting the US should support regime change despite the potential for unpredictable aftermath. 
  • The Waking Up app achieved a significant milestone by being named Apple's App of the Day after seven years of development, indicating growing success for Sam Harris's platform. 

Segments

Podcast Access and Support
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(00:00:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Full episodes of Making Sense with Sam Harris are exclusively available to subscribers, as the podcast runs ad-free and relies entirely on listener support.
  • Summary: Listeners hearing the first part only are not on the subscriber feed. Full access requires subscribing at samharris.org. The podcast is made possible entirely through subscriber support because it does not run advertisements.
Tour Dates and App News
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(00:00:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Sam Harris announced upcoming tour dates in Dallas, Austin, Portland, Vancouver, Toronto, D.C., and New York, and celebrated the Waking Up app being named Apple’s App of the Day.
  • Summary: Upcoming shows are scheduled for Dallas and Austin next week, followed by Portland and Vancouver in March, and Toronto, D.C., and New York in May. Information for tickets is available at samharris.org. The Waking Up app achieved ‘App of the Day’ status in the Apple Store after seven years.
Minneapolis Killing Reaction
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(00:01:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The killing of Alex Predi by poorly trained ICE officers highlights a shocking lack of response from gun rights advocates, contradicting their stated commitment to resisting federal tyranny.
  • Summary: The killing of Alex Predi by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis is described as utterly depressing and pointless. Harris argues that this event, where the victim was shot after being disarmed and restrained, represents a complete repudiation of the Second Amendment for millions of gun owners. He contrasts the current silence with the expected massive armed protest if the incident had occurred under a Democratic administration.
Megan Kelly’s Justification
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(00:04:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Megan Kelly’s justification for Predi’s death, focusing on his prior alleged stalking and recklessness, is dismissed because the fatal shooting occurred after he was restrained and disarmed.
  • Summary: Kelly claimed Alex Predi was ‘itching for another confrontation’ and that his recklessness cost him his life. Harris concedes that Predi’s prior behavior might have been poor, but maintains that even if he was a hardened criminal, the act of shooting him ten times after he was restrained and his gun secured invalidates any justification.
Iran Crisis Update
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(00:07:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The death toll in Iran has potentially surpassed 30,000, prompting reports of the US moving necessary equipment into the region, suggesting a possible response to the regime’s violence against protesters.
  • Summary: The estimated number of killed protesters in Iran has risen from 12-15,000 to over 30,000, despite Trump’s prior demand that the regime stop killing protesters. Harris believes the current regime should not be preserved and anticipates the US may respond by providing support to topple it.
Climate Change and Political Distraction
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(00:08:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Existential climate risk has fallen out of public concern because immediate crises, like the events in Minneapolis and Iran, consume all available bandwidth for worry.
  • Summary: Candace Owens expressed confusion over ice not melting at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which Harris used to pivot to climate concerns. Harris notes that immediate, acute threats prevent people from focusing on slow-moving existential risks like climate change. He sarcastically credits Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico for the lack of hurricanes since then.