Theo Von Says America Might Not Be “First.”
Quick answer: Most of what he rattled off in that airport ambush is fact-based, but his bigger conclusion—that Washington no longer works for ordinary people—remains an opinion no spreadsheet can prove. Still, the receipts he waved around are real enough to make you look twice.
Below, we unpack each claim, show you what’s solid, what’s squishy, and why a stand-up comic’s curb-side rant resonated far beyond the TMZ clip.
1. A LAX Layover Turns Into a Civics Lesson
Thursday afternoon, July 17 2025. Theo Von is shuffling toward security at LAX when a TMZ camera pops out like an unpaid TSA agent. In the two-minute volley that followed, the Louisiana podcaster:
- questioned Donald Trump’s “America First” credentials;
- name-dropped Palantir, Gaza, and Jeffrey Epstein’s still-locked files;
- congratulated his friend Shane Gillis for hosting—and roasting—at the ESPYs.
The internet lit up. But how much of his lightning-round fact list survives a stress test?
2. Trump on “This Past Weekend”: Verified
“Remember, Trump came on my show in August—right before the election—talking about everything, even cocaine.”
Fact check:
✔️ True. The episode was taped Aug. 20-22 2024, about ten weeks before Election Day. Major outlets clipped the ex-president joking about “who left that bag of coke” in the White House.
Source: Vox
3. Palantir and the Surveillance State: Accurate, But Here’s the Fine Print
Theo’s gripe: the U.S. government “partners with Palantir” in ways that spook the public.
Reality check:
✔️ The data-mining giant holds contracts with DHS (especially ICE), the Pentagon, and dozens of police agencies. Civil-liberties groups say its tools knit together everything from license-plate scans to social-media posts.
But: Palantir insists it merely supplies software; agencies decide how to use it.
Source: American Friends Service Committee’s Investigate database
4. Gaza and War-Crimes Allegations: Backed by Human Rights Watch
Von cited Human Rights Watch calling Israel’s campaign in Gaza a war crime.
Status:
✔️ Correct. HRW’s late-2024 reports list “extermination,” “forced displacement,” and other acts it labels war crimes and even crimes against humanity. Hamas, for the record, was also denounced for Oct. 7 atrocities.
Source: HRW
5. Trump Promised a 24-Hour Cease-Fire. Has He Delivered? Not Yet
Theo said Trump “always claimed” he could end the war but isn’t closer today.
Scorecard:
✔️ Mostly true. President Trump 2.0 still talks up a same-day cease-fire; as of July 4 2025 he was waiting on Hamas to accept a U.S. proposal. Fighting continues.
Source: Reuters
6. The Missing Epstein Files: Still Missing
Von lumped the Epstein papers into his government-trust deficit.
Where things stand:
✔️ A federal judge did unseal roughly 900 pages in January 2024—but big chunks remain redacted or sealed, including potential client rosters. The Department of Justice says ongoing probes prevent full disclosure.
Source: CBS News
7. Shane Gillis, the ESPYs, and a Throwaway Epstein Joke: Absolutely Happened
Just a palate cleanser: Gillis did host the 2025 ESPYs on July 16 and quipped an Epstein joke “deleted itself.”
Source: ESPN press release
8. So, Does the Government “No Longer Work for the People”?
Here’s where fact-checking hits a wall. Theo’s closing line—“maybe it never did”—is philosophy, not falsifiable data. But two things are clear:
1. His examples are grounded in verified events.
2. Transparency gaps (from sealed Epstein files to AI surveillance contracts) feed the very distrust he’s voicing.
Bottom Line
Theo Von didn’t break a news story at LAX; he strung together stories already in the public record—and, item by item, he largely got them right. Whether those threads weave into a government that’s abandoned its citizens is for voters, not fact-checkers, to decide.
Still, next time a comedian mutters about Palantir while juggling carry-ons, remember: the punch line might double as a public-records request.