Bannon’s War Room – Episode 4790

Date: September 19, 2025
Title: Victory In Texas Against Transgender Ideology; McCarthy Was Right
Host: Steve Bannon
Notable Guests: Charlie Kirk, Brian E. Harrison, Mark Mitchell, Jim Rickards

Episode Overview

This episode pivots around two major themes:

1. Victory in Texas – The ouster of Texas A&M’s president amid controversy over transgender and DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) policies, shepherded by MAGA-aligned grassroots and led by Rep. Brian Harrison, is paraded as a template for culture war victories nationwide.
2. Media Crackdowns & Free Speech – Widespread removal of left-leaning TV hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and the broader transformation of media and institutional power under the Trump administration, with frequent references to McCarthyism and the need for what Bannon brands as “maximalist” retribution.

Bannon and guests also tackle the state of youth culture, radicalization, and culture war battlegrounds across universities, social media networks, and entertainment platforms, presenting current social changes as a climactic “fourth turning” moment for America.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Crackdown on Media and Free Speech (00:00–10:30)

• Jimmy Kimmel's Removal

  • Charlie Kirk lambasts Kimmel being yanked off-air as “blatant censorship,” warning it "always starts small” with authoritarianism (00:09).
  • Steve Bannon frames it as justified retribution, not hypocrisy:

    "No, it's not hypocrisy, it's retribution." — Bannon (05:31)

• Analogies to McCarthyism

  • An unidentified conservative commentator notes the pace and scale of current media purges vastly outstrips 1950s McCarthyism, as “the state is at the center of the repression” (02:21–04:56).
  • The crackdown is portrayed as systematized, planned, and driven by a desire for retribution, referencing origins of right-wing figures being kicked off social media (04:56).

• Hostility Toward Legacy Media

  • Bannon critiques U.S. late-night TV, painting Colbert’s show as an “in-kind contribution” to Democrats and advocating action:

    "Seize the institutions and have a sense of urgency. Has to be done today. Not tomorrow. Today. Today. Today. Action, action, action." — Bannon (09:15)

2. The Texas Victory Over Transgender Ideology (11:21–24:43)

• Ousting Texas A&M’s President

  • Rep. Brian E. Harrison is credited with orchestrating the firing of the university president after a transgender-related controversy, allegedly against Republican establishment resistance.

    “I was totally and completely alone in the Texas government standing up and saying no, I'm sick and tired of leftist progressives running some of our most cherished institutions, including my alma mater, Texas A and M.” — Harrison (12:29)

• Critique of Establishment Republicans

  • Harrison accuses leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott of enabling DEI and progressive ideologies, emphasizing that “the rot starts at the top” (21:28).

• Strategy for Continuing the Fight

  • Harrison urges grassroots listeners to pressure officials for a special session to defund universities and fire any remaining leaders supporting DEI or transgender policies:

    “Fire them immediately. And every other taxpayer-funded official engaged in indoctrination.” — Harrison (22:56)

  • He frames the culture war battle in Texas as vital for saving "the future of Western civilization" (24:02).

3. The Influence and Radicalization of Youth via Online Platforms (26:01–44:00)

• Media Landscape Contraction

  • Mark Mitchell asserts left-leaning groups are losing influence as young Americans “reprioritize” and rally behind Trump post-Charlie Kirk assassination, citing poll bounces (27:11, 32:45).

    “In four days, Trump approval, his net approval is up 10 points. Right now. Trump is plus seven. We haven't seen that level since the middle of June.” — Mitchell (26:58)

• Political Socialization of Young Americans

  • The Internet, particularly platforms like Reddit and Discord, is described as the new front line for ideological battles, where young people are exposed to radical content:

    “Their mind is being crafted by an algorithm... Who's teaching these kids about transgenderism? It's people on meds, it's 35 year old, like groomers." — Mitchell (39:09)

• Failures of Institutions

  • Mitchell and Bannon decry the leftist “monoculture” in education, entertainment and big tech.
  • Mitchell notes that even the gaming industry, once “pretty right," has become "infested by woke."

• The Fourth Turning Crisis and Youth Disillusionment

  • The hosts worry that Gen Z’s “messed up” values threaten future societal stability, connecting it to theories of historical cycles and the notion that societal collapse brings reform:

    “Looks like we're on track for a messy fourth turning. As I said, people tolerate stuff until they can no longer afford to tolerate things. And it would appear that our time for tolerating radical Marxism is finally at an end.” — Mitchell (47:23)

4. Calls for Maximalist Action and Permanent Change (Throughout)

• Bannon throughout the episode repeats that “the days of you guys being in charge are over,” emphasizing not only capturing institutions for conservative goals but making their reversal impossible:

  “We have to have maximalist position. We have to meet a sense of urgency and seize the institutions and make it so they can never reverse it.” — Bannon (10:02)

• Retribution and “action, action, action” are the core rallying cries.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kimmel and Media Purges:

  • “If ABC thinks this is going to satisfy the regime, they are woefully naive. And clearly they've never read the children's book. If you give a mouse a Kimmel.” — Charlie Kirk (00:13)
  • “This is the primal scream of a dying regime.” — Steve Bannon (06:59)
  • “Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people.” — Jim Rickards (07:04)

• On Texas and Transgender Ideology:

  • “…nothing could have prepared me for the shock. To learn that… the Texas government might well be the biggest funder of DEI and this woke leftist transgender indoctrination in America. And it's time for that to stop.” — Brian E. Harrison (13:23)
  • “The rot starts at the top here in the state of Texas.” — Harrison (21:28)

• On Youth Radicalization and Fourth Turning:

  • “We've had a society that's been fractured by individualism, kinks, niches, perversion in many cases.” — Mark Mitchell (39:09)
  • “These people are not true blooded free market capitalists. They think the system has failed them.” — Mitchell (50:36)
  • “What we have in the United States is not capitalism. It's corporatism... Russian serfs, they don't own anything and they're not going to own anything.” — Steve Bannon (50:42)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Media Crackdown & Kimmel Discussion: 00:00 – 10:30
• Texas A&M/Transgender Ideology Victory: 11:21 – 24:43
• Online Radicalization/Youth Culture & Social Media: 26:01 – 44:00
• Fourth Turning/Youth Disillusionment/Future of the Right: 47:23 – 52:07

Structure

I. Media Crackdown: Censorship or Retribution? (00:00–10:30)

• Threats from the Trump-era FCC chair, swift removal of Jimmy Kimmel
• Framing of actions as “retribution,” comparison to McCarthyism
• Total war on “enemy” networks, maximizing institutional capture

II. Texas Triumph: Firing Texas A&M President & Beyond (11:21–24:43)

• How grassroots MAGA activism led to administrative shakeups
• Systemic critique of Texas GOP establishment for progressive appointments
• Calls for direct, immediate defunding and firings in all public institutions

III. “Generation War”: Youth, Social Media, and Radicalization (26:01–44:00)

• Impact of social media bans, rise of Reddit/Discord in right-wing organizing
• The internet as both battleground and breeding ground for culture war
• The weakening and “wokeness” of entertainment and gaming sectors
• Growing divide between online youth culture and conservative older generations

IV. Fourth Turning, Societal Upheaval, and the Path Forward (47:23–52:07)

• Predictions of looming societal reset (the “fourth turning”)
• Worries about Gen Z’s value set, collapse of institutional trust
• Affirmation that only maximal, permanent change will suffice

Closing

Bannon and his guests close on calls for further “action, action, action,” viewing the recent Texas university shakeup as a proof-of-concept and warning that the time for incrementalism is over. With rhetorical references to McCarthy, the Fourth Turning, and a sense of existential, generational struggle, the episode serves as both summary and rallying cry for the current and future direction of the MAGA movement.

For listeners:
This episode will resonate most with audience members seeking affirmation of maximalist conservative strategy, as well as those wishing for a deep dive into current political battles in media, public universities, and youth culture.