What Now? With Trevor NoahDr. Steven Hassan: Are You in a Cult and Don’t Even Know It?
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- February 19, 2026
- Duration
- 1h 50m
- Channel
- What Now? With Trevor Noah
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
In a conversation that’s equal parts psychological thriller and masterclass in influence, Trevor and Eugene sit down with world-renowned cult expert Dr. Steven Hassan. Recruited into the Unification Church (aka the Moonies) as a college student, Hassan rose through its ranks before ultimately breaking free — an experience that reshaped his life’s work and inspired his bestselling book The Cult of Trump. From fringe groups to social media echo chambers, the trio unpack how and why ordinary people get swept into systems of extreme belief, the ways loyalty is engineered, and what separates healthy persuasion from manipulation. They also explore why the line between conviction and control is thinner and closer to home than we think. SurveyMonkey takes the fear out of asking—and the doubt out of deciding. If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the channel here: http://bit.ly/SubscribeTrevorNoah Or follow the podcast on your other favorite platforms... SiriusXM - Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnApplePodcasts Spotify - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnSpotify 00:00:03 - “Mankind Is Asleep” And Why That Hooks Us 00:02:13 - How Do You Even Say Hassan? 00:04:18 - How I Got Recruited Into The Moonies 00:07:39 - The Vietnam Draft And A Lucky Number 00:08:32 - From Hating Nixon To Fasting For Him 00:10:09 - Love Bombing On A College Campus 00:13:15 - The Van Ride To Tarrytown 00:15:30 - Bait And Switch: “Are You Close Minded?” 00:18:16 - The BITE Model Explained 00:20:27 - Misdirection And Mind Control Tactics 00:23:35 - How Cults Rebuild Your Identity 00:27:25 - Three Days That Changed Everything 00:29:50 - “The Messiah Might Be Coming” 00:32:08 - The Question That Rewires Your Brain 00:44:30 - Phobia Indoctrination And The Exorcist 00:46:12 - Why Singing Together Feels So Powerful 00:50:32 - From Skeptic To Inner Circle Leader 00:55:15 - Were The Moonies Linked To The CIA? 01:05:05 - Can You Be In An Online Cult? 01:07:10 - The Car Crash That Broke The Spell 01:08:45 - Chinese Communist Brainwashing Criteria 01:17:25 - Is Trump A Cult Or Just Politics? 01:36:31 - Why Desperation Fuels Authoritarianism 01:47:00 - The Danger Of Absolute Certainty
SPEAKERS
Trevor Noah
hostComedian and host of the podcast "What Now? With Trevor Noah."
Dr. Steven Hassan
guestMental health professional and author known for work on cults/undue influence and the BITE model.
Eugene
hostCo-host/regular on "What Now? With Trevor Noah."
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of What Now? With Trevor Noah, featuring Trevor Noah and Dr. Steven Hassan, Dr. Steven Hassan: Are You in a Cult and Don’t Even Know It? explores how cults recruit, control minds, and shape modern politics today Hassan recounts being recruited into the Unification Church (the “Moonies”) through love-bombing, deception, and a bait-and-switch weekend “workshop” that escalated into intensive indoctrination.
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