Transcript

El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!

From Glenn Beck · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 13 min · 2,054 words · 22 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!", an episode of Glenn Beck published February 11, 2026 (13 min, about 2,054 words). It mentions 12 people, works and ideas, including El Paso, Donald Trump, Mexican cartel, crown prince of Iran, Hezbollah.

What this episode is about

The El Paso airport recently reopened after a highly unusual 10-day closure due to federal airspace restrictions enacted in response to Mexican cartel drones breaching U.S. airspace. While the FAA has now declared that there is no ongoing threat to commercial travel, officials remain concerned about the implications of such security measures and their historical significance.

Key takeaways

  • When the FAA grounds your air travel for 10 days, it's either a national security crisis or a really bad game of Monopoly.
  • Federal airspace lockdowns are rare; this 10-day restriction echoes 9/11, raising eyebrows and questions about the actual threat.
  • Cartel drones buzzing over El Paso? More intriguing than a spy novel, but does disrupting business really suit their agenda?
  • Fort Bliss's strategic importance highlights how borders, drug cartels, and military readiness intertwine in a web of tension.
  • Speculation reigns supreme when official information is scant; sometimes, ignorance truly is not bliss, especially in defense matters.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 3:00: El Paso, Mexican cartel, 911, FAA
  2. – 6:00: Donald Trump, Fort Bliss, Hezbollah, El Paso
  3. – 9:00: Hezbollah, 911, FAA
  4. – 12:00: crown prince of Iran, Benjamin Netanyahu

Notable quotes from "El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!"

  • Okay? But 10 days, 10 days. So you have any idea, we look back in history and the only time we can see this happen was when it was happening nationwide and it was 9/11.
    about 911 · at
  • A limb, but when I heard this, the thing that is important here is that El Paso is not just any city in Texas or America. It is sitting right at the most significant border…
    about El Paso · at
  • And I will tell you my opinion as well on what I think is going to happen on the negotiations. This is President Trump just making sure that the world knows we tried everything…
    about Donald Trump · at
  • Speculation on that. The reason why that angle rings a little true to me is because Mexican cartels are not going to disrupt business in a way of, provoking a US military response on the largest, most pivotal corridor for them.
    about Mexican cartel · at
  • Cloud airspay for 10 days? I mean wait where's Tim Walls? Where's I mean who would do who would have the authority to do that?
    about FAA · at
  • Chime in on this, too. We've been trying to get the crown prince for weeks, weeks. today is the day that everybody's meeting and Benjamin Netanyahu comes to the White House…
    about Benjamin Netanyahu · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Donald Trump — Person · Referenced political leader (U.S. President) / administration actor · 2 mentions · first at
    Cited as the administration responsible for the El Paso airspace response and as the decision-maker framing Iran negotiations and broader security posture.
  • crown prince of Iran — Person · Upcoming guest / referenced Iranian dissident figure · 2 mentions · first at
    Presented as a high-profile Iranian opposition figure expected to comment on negotiations and the situation in Iran; used to frame the episode’s speculation about Iran-related threats and diplomacy.
    We have the crown prince of Iran on here in about an hour and 15 minutes. and you will hear from the crown prince what he is expecting to happen in the negotiations.
  • Jamie (last name needed for clarification) — Person · Military intelligence expert · 1 mention
    Provides insights on military and security implications regarding the situation in El Paso.
    Okay. and this was my guess is let me bring Jason in because Jason, you're a military guy. You focus on military intelligence. and so I don't I don't want to go too far out on a limb, but when I heard this,.
  • Benjamin Netanyahu — Person · Referenced foreign leader (Israel) tied to White House meeting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as visiting the White House the next day, used to situate the timing of negotiations and potential escalation decisions related to Iran and regional conflict.

Companies & orgs

  • FAA — Company · Case study · 2 mentions · first at
    Involved in imposing and lifting the flight restriction over El Paso, central to the discussion.
  • DOJ — Company · Case study · 3 mentions
    Mentioned in the context of authority to impose flight restrictions, adding to the discussion on government actions.
    Cartel drones breached it. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DO have determined there is no threat to commercial travel now. So what does took action to disable drones mean?
  • Department of War — Company · Case study · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as taking action to disable drones, highlighting its role in the security incident.
    And here's a direct quote. Mexican cartel drones breached it. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DO have determined there is no threat to commercial travel now. So what does took.

Concepts & topics

  • Mexican cartel — Concept · Core topic · 2 mentions · first at
    Discussed as a potential threat due to drones breaching US airspace, leading to the flight restriction in El Paso.
  • Hezbollah — Concept · Key argument · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a proxy working with drug cartels and Iran, adding to the geopolitical tension discussed.
    Has an equal and opposite reaction. My first thought was, is this the drug cartels along with any kind of help or, anything from Hezbollah or Iran doing a counter on us?

Places & events

  • El Paso — Place · Setting · 3 mentions · first at
    Central location discussed due to a 10-day flight restriction imposed by the federal government, raising security concerns.
  • Fort Bliss — Place · Headquarters · 2 mentions · first at
    Military base near El Paso, significant for rapid deployment and joint tasks, adding context to the security concerns.
    Acres for the army. And it what's really important about Fort Bliss is it is the rapid deployment for joint mobilization force. So when you're moving tanks or anything for the army, you have to move a lot of stuff. It's.
  • 911 — Event · Referenced event · 2 mentions · first at
    Compared to the current situation in El Paso as the only other time a similar flight restriction was imposed.

Full transcript with timestamps

The biggest thing that has changed overnight I think is the uh information coming out of the government for El Paso. Federal government drew a 10mi circle over a major American border city and said nothing flies below 18,000 ft. So your private jets, your bigger jets, everything like that are going to fly above 18,000 ft. But nothing is going to land. Okay, so you have any idea temporary flight restrictions happen all the time. The president travels, they shut down the airspace. Okay. Um there is a a wildfire, they shut down the airspace.

There is a hurricane, they shut down the airspace. But that usually uh happens for a very limited period of time. I mean, we're talking hours. Maybe in a natural disaster, a day or so, okay? But 10 days, 10 days. So you have any idea, we look back in history and the only time we can see this happen was when it was happening nationwide and it was 9/11. There is no other time in American history where a since World War II, that's as far as we went, since World War II, there has not been a single city shutdown of an airport for security reasons uh for 10 days. Never happened. Okay, that's all the government said this morning. Special security reasons.

That's it. Okay, that's a little disturbing. What does that mean? Now, an hour ago, the government came out and said, "Ricky, what did they say? Can you give me the exact verbiage?" I will try to read this as quickly as I can. They lifted it um within the last hour saying that everything was kosher. That is not a direct quote. I can give you a new direct quote, the just happened in the last 18 minutes.

Okay. Uh Trump official told Fox News that the lockdown came in response to Mexican cartel drones that breached USS US airspace. And here's a direct quote. Mexican cartel drones breached it. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DO have determined there is no threat to commercial travel now. So what does took action to disable drones mean?

We took them out. Okay. Um, and this was my guess is I mean, let me bring Jason in because Jason, you're a military guy. You you focus on military intelligence. Um, and so I don't I don't want to go too far out on a limb, but when I heard this,

um, the the thing that is important here is that El Paso is not just any city in Texas or America. It is sitting right at the most significant border crossing in the hemisphere. Okay. It is also near Fort Bliss. Fort Bliss is a million acres um for the army. And it what's really important about Fort Bliss is it is the rapid deployment uh for joint mobilization force. So when you're moving tanks or anything for the army, you have to move a lot of stuff. It's all happening with Fort Bliss. Okay. It also facilitates all joint tasks.

There's one other thing about this area. We have talked about this for years. the IRGC, the Iraqi Republican Guard, um the terrorist organization, they have been in Venezuela and in Mexico working with drug cartels, mainly with their proxy, Hezbollah. We have the crown prince of Iran on here in about an hour and 15 minutes. Um, and you will hear from the crown prince what he is expecting to happen in the negotiations. And I will tell you my opinion as well on what I think is going to happen on the negotiations. This is this is President Trump just making sure that the world knows we tried everything we could to deal with them. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. My first thought was, is this the drug cartels along with any kind of help or, you know, anything from Hezbollah or uh Iran doing a counter on us?

Don't know. Could have just been a mistake. But I'm glad the Trump administration is all over this today. Watch watch what happens in El Paso in the next couple of days. Let's see if there's more news. Jason, comments on this?

Yeah, I think it's it's all up just all we're really left to do here is speculate because we were giving no information whatsoever. So, there's speculation on that. The reason why that angle rings a little true to me is because Mexican cartels are not going to disrupt business in a way of, you know, provoking a US military response on the largest, most pivotal corridor for them. It's it's not good business. It makes no sense at all. So to me, and I'll give you another counter to this, but to me it makes more sense if you put a 10day restriction on a timeline that there's a very specific threat that they were they got, you know, forward knowledge of and they were trying to get ready for it and get out in front of it. Now, all of that, the counterargument, all of that blows up when you consider the card. There is always a card and someone could have just instead of saying we're responding to something,

you know, in the immediiacy, you know, in the immediate, uh, but instead of saying that, they threw on the 10day restriction for some random moronic reason. So, it's all possible someone's just an idiot.

I can't I mean, how does that possibly happen, Jason? I mean, you don't close down. I mean, that hasn't ever happened except for 9/11. That has never happened. So who would have the authority on their own just to go I got cloud airspay for 10 days? I mean I mean wait where's Tim Walls? Where's I mean who who would do who would have the authority to do that? Um, yes. I I would I would say probably somebody in the FBI uh or or DOJ, something like that that would transmit that to the FAA or there could have been the card somewhere within the FAA that just clicked the wrong button. I don't know. It doesn't make any sense.

We're trying to make sense of it. But to me, it's a very specific threat. Whether that's asymmetrical warfare they're getting ahead of before regarding Iran or whatever or I to me that they're just random cartel drones make zero sense cuz why provoke and screw up your business over a commercial drone to scout a a route. It makes no sense whatsoever. So I don't think the full story's been told and I don't know if we will get the full story but we'll definitely be watching.

We have to start getting full We have to get full stories. We have to we can't we cannot operate in this secrecy anymore. I want it secret for national defense whatever but at some point we have to know

what's going on in our country um because we we just do you can't you just there's not enough trust in the country um to just operate like this. And luckily, I think on the the side of conservatives, we still do we gained our trust back for the military. Heg Seth has come in and set the military back on track. And so we we've regained our trust uh to some degree with the military, but we it's not blind trust. The good news is there's no National Guard being deployed. There's no evacuation. There's no sirens. There's nothing. It happened at 4:00 in the morning.

Don't know why. Could be an idiot card uh that somebody pulled the trigger too soon or too hard and you know closed it down for 10 days. But this one is uh puzzling to say the least. Jason, do you think can I go down a conspiracy road with you?

That's my best road to go down. I know. We have been trying to get the crown prince. Ricky, I'd like you to try chime in on this, too. We've been trying to get the crown prince for weeks, weeks. Um, today is the day that everybody's meeting and Benjamin Netanyahu comes to the White House tomorrow. Uh, and we're we're going to be finding out if we could do a deal or not. I personally don't think we're doing a deal. I mean, I can't imagine the deal that we could get that the president would go, "Okay, that was worth them slaughtering 37,000 people and us just going, "Okay, I I can't imagine that." Um, I think this is just to um tell the whole world we've done everything we could. We tried. We exhausted every avenue. Um because we also cannot be responsible for the downfall of Iran. That has to be with the people. But we can support them and show them that, you know, we have an armada off the shore. Um,

is it a coincidence all these things are happening and then we get the crown prince of Iran this week?

Do you want me to put my Stew hat on or Ricky conspiracy theorist? So, so Stu, I know what Stu would say. Get over it. Of course not. Okay. And he might be right. And he might be right. I think it's interesting that one of the highest profile Iranian dissident and critics of the current regime who is whose family is targeted for death I'm sure by the regime tells you at the end of the interview which is coming up soon we taped this yesterday you'll hear it shortly that he was grateful to you for changing all of your social media avatars to the original Iranian flag that existed before the regime came in. He is the second Iranian dissident that you've had on this program that called that out and said that people on the ground in Iran have noticed that you did that and they appreciate your show of support. What I didn't appreciate about that is that he basically just told the regime that you're standing with the Iranian people

and he just put a big target on your back. Let him let him uh you know right is right. Um, it was a little shocking. It was a little shocking that the way he handled me, it was like, "Oh my gosh, how do you is Do you remember, you remember when we were getting people out of Afghanistan?" And I think I've told this on the air. I hope I have. Um, but uh, we the State Department was putting up all these roadblocks. So, we had to get people out through Pakistan. No other country would let us go through. Well, the prime minister of Pakistan at the time was about to be overthrown and he wanted friends in Washington. And so our group contacted him and said, "Hey, can you help us get these people out? Can you get these American people out?" And he said, I get a call like an hour later, Glenn, he said he would do it, but only if he could talk to you. And I'm like, how does he even know who I am? What?

So, we talked to him and he just wanted assurance that I would remind people in Washington that he was, you know, he had helped us on some things cuz he knew his time was limited. Um, uh, it's weird how I mean, I just I just showed you last week our our, uh, insiders for Torch, we had 36 nations, people in 36 nations that were listening to us around the world. Today I just counted the United Nations has 193 nations in the United Nations. Right now, as of week number two with the torch, we have people in 142 nations listening to this show right now.

That's nuts. I love it. And it makes me very nervous cuz I looked at some of those nations and they are, you know,

sometimes designated as not being allies of the US. What a nice way of saying that.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!"?

Glenn Beck (Guest), Jason (Guest), Ricky (Guest).

What is "El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!" about?

The El Paso airport recently reopened after a highly unusual 10-day closure due to federal airspace restrictions enacted in response to Mexican cartel drones breaching U.S. airspace. While the FAA has now declared that there is no ongoing threat to commercial travel, officials remain concerned about the implications of such security measures and their historical significance.

What is mentioned in this Glenn Beck episode?

12 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including El Paso, Donald Trump, Mexican cartel, crown prince of Iran, Hezbollah, Fort Bliss. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "El Paso airport ALREADY opened despite 10 day closure because of THIS?!"?

The episode runs 13 min; the transcript is about 2,054 words in 22 timestamped sections.

More from Glenn Beck

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated February 12, 2026.