US vs. China; Hating AI; Trump Slush Fund; Texas; Iran; Short Selling | Yaron Brook Show

Live May 19, 2026 | Yaron Brook Show (Season 12, Episode 88) US vs. China; Hating AI; Trump Slush Fund; Texas; Iran; Short Selling | Yaron Brook Show *Is America Losing Its Mind? China Rising, AI Panic, Trump Corruption & the Collapse of Economic Sanity* The West built the modern world. So why does America suddenly seem determined to sabotage itself? In this explosive episode of the Yaron Brook Show, Yaron takes on the growing geopolitical threat from China, the irrational backlash against AI, Trump’s alleged “slush fund” politics, the economic insanity spreading through red states, Iran’s long-term ambitions, and why short sellers are essential to functioning markets. Why are politicians attacking AI instead of embracing innovation? Can America compete with China while punishing success and demonizing technology? Are property taxes really the problem—or is government spending the disease? And why do so many people hate the investors who expose fraud and bad businesses? This episode connects the dots between fear, collectivism, corruption, economic ignorance, and the cultural collapse of confidence in reason itself. Watch now: https://youtube.com/live/Y0K_JSjb9a8 ⏱️ TOPIC TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:00 US vs. China 26:05 Hating AI 36:25 Trump Slush Fund 46:20 Texas 51:45 Iran 59:25 Short Selling 💬 LIVE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS 1:16:54 Is the news becoming too depressing—or is realism necessary? 1:18:01 Should Objectivism be shared with everyone—or are some people closed off to reason? 1:18:51 When will Yaron return to NYC? 1:19:04 Why are Texas, Florida, and Ohio pushing to eliminate property taxes? 1:21:03 Is anti-AI hysteria just modern-day Luddism? 1:23:14 Is Trump’s alleged slush fund an impeachable offense? 1:23:36 Is antisemitism influencing modern American politics? 1:24:35 “Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits” — Mark Twain 1:25:07 Eurovision favorites and cultural trends 1:26:17 Missed Super Chats from yesterday’s show 1:26:30 Why is antisemitism exploding in Australia? 1:27:31 Is low-quality AI content fueling resentment toward AI itself? 1:28:05 Should you participate in your HOA—or ignore it? 1:29:28 Reflections on Yaron’s interview with Joshua Windham 1:29:44 Will warmer weather hurt Super Chat revenue? 1:30:03 Remembering historian John Ridpath #China #ArtificialIntelligence #ElonMusk #OpenAI #Trump #Iran #Economics #ShortSelling #Capitalism #Politics #Objectivism #BigTech #CultureWar #ForeignPolicy The Yaron Brook Show is Sponsored by [The Ayn Rand Institute](https://www.aynrand.org/starthere) [Energy Talking Points, featuring AlexAI, by Alex Epstein](https://alexepstein.substack.com/) [Express VPN](https://www.expressvpn.com/yaron) [Hendershott Wealth Management](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4lfC...) & (https://hendershottwealth.com/ybs/) [Michael Williams & The Defenders of Capitalism Project](https://www.DefendersOfCapitalism.com) [Support the Show]( / yaronbrookshow ) [Sponsor the Show]([email protected]/) [One-time donation](https://bit.ly/2RZOyJJ) Join the [Yaron Brook Show YouTube channel]( / @yaronbrook ) Like what you hear? Like, share, and subscribe to stay updated on new videos and help promote the [Yaron Brook Show](https://bit.ly/3ztPxTx) Continue the discussion by following Yaron on [Twitter](https://bit.ly/3iMGl6z) and [Facebook](https://bit.ly/3vvWDDC ) Want to learn more about Ayn Rand and Objectivism? Visit the [Ayn Rand Institute](https://bit.ly/35qoEC3)