Bannon's War Room – Episode 5057

"The Fraud Continues In Minnesota; Color Revolution In America"

Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Natalie Winters (filling in for Stephen K. Bannon)
Main Guests: Mike Benz

Overview of the Episode

This episode delves into ongoing unrest and accusations of systemic fraud in Minnesota following the death of Renee Goode during an altercation involving federal agents. The discussion, led by Natalie Winters and guest Mike Benz, frames the incident and its aftermath as part of a broader pattern of orchestrated social destabilization—a "color revolution" strategy modeled after regime-change tactics used abroad. The episode examines the political rhetoric, funding networks behind protest organizations, the political use of immigrant communities, and how disruptive protest is increasingly viewed as a legitimized tool of left-wing activism. The conversation expands to connect these domestic events with historic and international parallels in places like Venezuela, Iran, and Somalia.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breakdown of Minnesota Unrest

• Incident Overview:
  Renee Goode was killed by a federal agent during a protest. The official response and the subsequent protests are dissected as not only a local tragedy but a symptom of broader political and cultural conflicts.
  • Governor Tim Walz calls for peaceful community reflection, but is accused on the show of downplaying lawlessness and systemic incentivization of fraud.
• Protest Excerpts:
  Protesters' chants and confrontations with law enforcement are played, highlighting escalating rhetoric and threats of violence (see [04:01]).

2. Natalie Winters’ Framing: The ‘Phalanx of Fraud’

• Community and Division:
  • Natalie Winters [06:08]:
    "You are not part of their community... They are making it very clear that community does not include customs and border patrol. It does not include Maga, it does not include you. If you think that America deserves to have a border..."
  • Democrats use "community" as an exclusive concept, creating an "us vs. them" narrative.
• Critique of Protest Culture:
  Liberals are portrayed as glorifying protest regardless of the underlying legality or morality.

3. The 'Color Revolution' Template and the 3.5% Rule

• Mike Benz's Analysis [12:40]:
  • Current unrest is framed as a "suppressed attempt to recreate George Floyd 2.0"—a controlled, repeatable process to keep activist networks "warmed up" for future mass mobilizations, especially as the 2026 midterms approach.
  • Evidence of violence, such as the alleged attempt to run over a law enforcement officer, is used to push back on the victim narrative.
• 3.5% Rule Discussed [17:54]:
  • A political science rule suggesting that mobilizing 3.5% of a population makes a government change essentially inevitable, often cited in color revolution studies.
    • Political Scientist [17:55]:
      "Once you have 3.5% of a population protesting nonviolently against a dictator or an authoritarian, that is essentially an unstoppable force..."
  • Benz highlights the irony: This same 'magic number' doctrine is viewed as a threat if used domestically by the left, while supported by both GOP and Dem foreign policy hawks abroad.
    • Mike Benz [19:33]:
      "...what they're talking about is toppling a government...the protests will be too big to contain. The government will have to step aside..."

4. Funding & Organization of Protests

• NGO Funding and Ties:
  • Groups like "Indivisible" are described as major recipients of funding from organizations such as the Open Society Foundation, allegedly organizing and coordinating "rent-a-riot" actions (see [19:33]).
  • Academic and institutional training for protest leaders at places like Harvard Kennedy School is posited as evidence of a professional infrastructure for mass protest organization.
    • Mike Benz [19:33]:
      "...a rent a riot theoretician group and incubator. They bring riot leader riot coordinators from foreign countries to Harvard Belfer center and the Harvard Kennedy School..."
  • The techniques, including blocking roads to provoke police responses, are said to mirror CIA handbooks for destabilizing governments abroad, now allegedly implemented at home.

5. Refugee Populations as Political Instruments

• Somali Community in Minnesota:
  • The show argues that U.S. refugee policy has imported large populations from conflict zones—such as Somalia—not merely for humanitarian reasons but to foster political patronage systems and influence power dynamics both in the U.S. and overseas.
    • Mike Benz [32:00]:
      "What really started to happen during the Cold War was you began to have city specific ethnic enclaves develop through immigrant and refugee programs attached to CIA and military activity in their home regions..."
    • Historic analogies to Tammany Hall (Irish in NYC) and Miami (Cuban diaspora) are drawn.
  • Allegations surface that the U.S. government tolerates or even encourages local fraudulent activity so long as it helps fund U.S. international objectives (see [36:03]).

6. Global Parallels: Venezuela and Iran

• Venezuela:
  • Alleged CIA complicity in drug smuggling and creating the "Cartel of the Suns" as techniques similar to the domestic dynamics the hosts criticize (see [36:03]).
• Iran:
  • Current protests in Iran are contextualized as part of the long-term regime change agenda of U.S. foreign policy.
    • Mike Benz [45:28]:
      "The enervated energy pumping into Iran with these protests is going to, even if they don't result in substantial change to the Iranian government at present, [...] reveal networks city by city that can be capacity built through US Government and allied government supports."

7. Closing Reflections

• Natalie Winters wraps [47:01]:
  • Shifts to viewing protest clips from around the country, with commentary on the different quality and motivation of protesters, suggesting that escalation and division are increasing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ‘Community’ and Exclusion ([06:08]):
  Natalie Winters: “You are not part of their community… they have perverted that word probably more than they have transgenderism or free and fair elections or election integrity.”

• On Color Revolution Tactics ([12:40]):
  Mike Benz: “It’s a kind of deflated winter, suppressed attempt to recreate George Floyd 2.0… they need to keep this… people-powered color revolution… almost like deploying troops to keep the troops in ready position…”

• On the 3.5% Rule ([17:55]):
  Political Scientist: “Once you have 3.5% of a population protesting nonviolently… that is essentially an unstoppable force…”

• On NGO Funding ([19:33]):
  Mike Benz: “…one of the main organizers here is Indivisible which got $7 million at least in 2023 money… from George Soros Open Society foundation which is a very popular rental riot organizer…”

• On Refugee Population as Political Tools ([32:00]):
  Mike Benz: “During the Cold War…city specific ethnic enclaves develop through immigrant and refugee programs attached to CIA and military activity in their home region…”

• On Government Complicity in Fraud ([36:03]):
  Mike Benz: “…the FBI looks the other way, law enforcement looks the other way, because this fraud ends up capacity Building US military and CIA activities…”

Important Timestamps

• [00:59]–[02:48] — Governor Walz's address: calls for peaceful protest, moment of silence, and action in memory of Renee Goode.
• [04:01]–[04:53] — Protester calls for armed resistance and says “time for peace is over. They fired the first shot. It is time to end this by any means necessary.”
• [05:43]–[12:40] — Natalie Winters’ segment on the “phalanx of fraud,” the twisting of “community,” and the logic of the episode’s argument.
• [12:40]–[14:47] — Mike Benz on failed attempts at mass mobilization, comparisons to George Floyd, and the new video evidence.
• [17:54]–[19:33] — The 3.5% rule and color revolution strategy breakdown.
• [32:00]–[36:03] — Benz discusses the origins and uses of Minnesota’s Somali population for international and domestic politics.
• [36:03]–[41:37] — Parallels to Venezuela and the CIA’s role in drug running.
• [45:13]–[47:01] — Discussion on the meaning and implications of regime change in Iran and how these tactics are mirrored domestically.
• [48:03] — Protester chant montage: “No justice, no peace… No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA…”

Episode Flow and Audience Utility

The episode is direct, combative, and conspiratorial in tone—characteristic of Bannon’s War Room. The conversation is densely packed with connections between local events, ideological divisions in America, and longstanding tactics of regime change in foreign lands. For listeners unfamiliar with the events in Minnesota, the episode provides a perspective that situates these protests within both domestic political conflict and a global pattern of engineered revolutions. The arguments are underpinned by references to both historical precedent and specific institutional actors (NGOs, government agencies), leveraging both anecdotal and theoretical evidence.

Where to Follow Up

• Mike Benz:
  • X (formerly Twitter): @MikeBenzCyber
  • YouTube & Rumble: Mike Benz Cyber

This summary offers a comprehensive, timestamped roadmap through Episode 5057, capturing the major narratives, memorable moments, and analytical threads for anyone seeking to understand the show’s perspective and arguments regarding recent events in Minnesota and beyond.