Bannon’s War Room – Episode 4876: Protests Continue in Ireland; Born Lucky

Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Guests: Joe Allen, Leland Vittert, Brett Thayer, Captain James Fanell, Brad
Main Themes:

• The movement to ban superintelligent AI and its societal implications
• AI-driven job loss and economic disruption
• Political unrest and protests in Ireland over immigration
• U.S.-China relations and strategic competition
• Personal story of autism and fatherly devotion (“Born Lucky” memoir by Leland Vittert)

Episode Overview

This episode of War Room is a wide-ranging discussion focused on three core issues:

1. The global and domestic push to halt artificial superintelligence development, including public concerns and grassroots mobilization.
2. Economic and social fallout from AI displacement in the workforce.
3. Unrest and political discontent in Ireland, and U.S.-China strategic competition. The episode concludes on a personal, inspirational note with journalist Leland Vittert sharing his journey growing up with autism, guided by his father's steadfast support (“Born Lucky”), highlighting themes of parental agency and hope.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Global Movement to Ban Superintelligent AI

(00:58–12:51)

• Superintelligence Ban Initiative

  • Numerous public figures, including Steve Bannon, Glenn Beck, and prominent individuals from across the political spectrum, have signed a letter and petition calling for a ban on the development of artificial superintelligence until its safety can be affirmed.
  • Cited statistics:
    • 64% of Americans support a pause
    • Over 28,000 have signed an online petition

• AI as Societal Threat

  • The War Room audience, described as "middle class, working class" and "entrepreneurs, innovators," are “outraged” by the unchecked progress of AI.
  • Bannon and editor Joe Allen argue these concerns aren’t Luddite; the audience understands that AI threatens economic stability, human value, and even spirituality.
  • Notable Quote:

    “The promise, the so called promise of AI and everything downstream of it is in fact a threat. It is a threat to their way of life, it's a threat to their economic value. And they understand that it is a threat to the very concept of what it means to be human and what it means to worship God.”
    — Joe Allen (05:55)

• Elite Control & Transhumanist Ambitions

  • Bannon asserts that the most powerful elites see AI as a route to “eternal life”:

    “At the end of the day for these guys, they believe they're close to getting the fountain of youth and nothing's going to stop them.”
    — Steve Bannon (07:18)

• Grassroots Mobilization & Lifelong Struggle

  • Joe Allen frames resistance as “a lifelong fight” and not a one-time battle.
  • Importance of broad societal consensus and educating the public emphasized.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• AI Superintelligence Ban Letter: 00:58–04:51
• Working Class Awareness/Threats: 04:51–07:04
• Elite Ambitions (“Fountain of Youth”): 07:04–08:26
• The Nature of the Fight/Proclamation Petition: 08:26–12:51

2. AI and Economic Displacement

(31:56–34:37)

• Job Losses Accelerating with AI

  • Brad highlights major reported losses due to automation and AI.
    • By 2030, 400–800 million jobs globally could be displaced (McKinsey).
    • In high-tech sectors alone, hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs are vanishing due to AI, and firms increasingly downplay these losses.
  • Contradictory studies: Some research (MIT, Northwestern) find actual implementation rates lower so far, urging caution with statistics.

• No National Strategy

  • U.S. is perceived as lacking a sophisticated, national dialog about AI risks and the U.S.-China “race” to dominance.
  • Quote:

    "There's no real sophisticated national conversation going on about the threat from China. Getting this first. Our guys are just getting us to buy into their race to be dominant."
    — Brad (34:02)

Timestamps

• AI Economic Disruption & Job Stats: 31:56–34:16

3. Political Unrest in Ireland & Europe

(16:23–19:22)

• Election Protests & Immigration

  • Ireland holds presidential elections amidst widespread unrest.
  • The populace is angry at both major parties (“Tweedledee and Tweedledum”) for fostering an immigration crisis, exemplified by high-profile crimes like the rape in Dublin.
  • Spoil-the-vote campaign: Many are spoiling ballots in protest, signaling resistance to establishment parties and Brussels-driven policies.
  • Quote:

    "This is a revolution from above that the Irish state is executing against the Irish nation driven by Brussels...a familiar story, isn't it, Steve?"
    — Brett Thayer (18:12)

• Social Stigmatizing of Protest

  • Protestors are beset by accusations of racism or xenophobia, which stifles organized resistance.
  • Bannon urges his audience to “get through that”:

    "It doesn't matter what they call you. Doesn't matter. If you can't get past that, you're not going to make any change."
    — Steve Bannon (19:22)

Timestamps

• Protests in Ireland: 16:23–19:22

4. Geopolitics: U.S.–China Strategic Conflict

(19:22–27:42)

• China’s Economic Leverage (Rare Earths, Pharmaceuticals)

  • China, under Xi Jinping, uses rare earths and vital supply chains as leverage in “economic warfare” against the U.S.; recent curbs are seen as a “rare earth bombshell.”

• Xi Jinping’s Consolidation of Power

  • Despite rumors of internal instability, Xi emerges stronger from the recent Party Plenum, with reinforced authority.
  • U.S. has been rendered vulnerable by outsourcing processing and manufacturing.

• National Security Implications

  • The “main thing” for U.S. security must now be reclaiming supply chain independence:

    "This has to be the main thing for our national security."
    — Captain Fanell (26:25)

• Chinese People’s Support & Party Control

  • Captain Fanell notes that despite protest coverage, the Chinese Communist Party retains majority popular support, and Xi remains firmly in power.

Timestamps

• U.S.–China Economic Warfare: 19:22–22:57
• Xi Jinping’s Political Strength: 23:22–25:34
• National Security & U.S. Vulnerabilities: 25:34–27:42

5. Personal Story: “Born Lucky” with Leland Vittert

(34:37–52:17)

• Vittert’s Memoir: An Autistic Child’s Journey
  • Born Lucky is described as a love letter to Vittert’s father, who sacrificed his career and dedicated his life to helping his son navigate the world as an autistic child.
• Father’s Unorthodox, Hands-On Approach
  • Leland’s father, a door-to-door salesman, taught him social skills and self-discipline personally and persistently, using practical lessons and constant reinforcement rather than therapy or medication.
  • Notable anecdotes include learning social cues via lunch discussions and being taught the value of incremental achievement (like 200 daily pushups).
• Emotional and Social Struggles
  • Vittert recounts bullying, isolation, and negative school experiences. He and his father confronted adversity head-on, without recourse to institutional supports.
• Publishing and Purpose
  • Leland persuades his father to publish the deeply personal story, hoping it inspires and gives hope to other parents and children facing similar struggles:

    "Born Lucky is proof of that hope for every parent and the power that every parent has."
    — Leland Vittert (51:00)

  • The story moved many, as evidenced by audience email responses.

Notable Quotes

• "Who I am today is a product of an enormous amount of hard work and dedication by my dad."
  — Leland Vittert (37:19)
• "There was no therapy...dad decided I would have to get through the real world if I was going to operate now as I do in the real world."
  — Leland Vittert (41:45)

Timestamps

• Introduction/Bannon on Book: 34:37–35:41
• Early Diagnosis & Social Struggles: 37:19–40:06
• Father's Methods & Emotional Cost: 40:06–42:21
• Publishing Decision & Parental Agency: 47:20–51:26

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On AI Threats:

  “They are out for power and they are out for profit. Up to the point of the intention to create a digital God, to create super intelligence.”
  — Joe Allen (06:05)

• On Irish Protests:

  “They want change, but the elites have got them in a headlock.”
  — Brett Thayer (18:20)

• On Parental Agency and Perseverance:

  “Love is the true story. That's the biblical love letter from the father to the Son and the Son to the Father.”
  — Brad (49:45)

Guest Schedules and Plugs

• Joe Allen: Upcoming talks in Naples, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; St. Louis, MO; Dallas, TX. Socials and schedule at joebot.xyz (11:16–12:51).
• Leland Vittert: Book signings in Tallahassee and Tampa, events in St. Louis. Details at bornlucky.com and on social media (@lelandvittert). (50:29–51:26)
• Captain Fanell & Brett Thayer: Articles at American Greatness, Truth, Getter.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode delivers a comprehensive perspective on urgent societal transitions: the growing movement to constrain superintelligent AI, the accompanying threat of economic and spiritual dislocation, and parallel populist unrest in Europe triggered by establishment intransigence. The conversation is grounded in a populist, working-class lens and transitions into intimate testimony about family resilience and hope. Listeners are left with the sense that both geopolitics and personal agency demand vigilance, resolve, and optimism.

For more, visit:

• WarRoom.org
• bornlucky.com (Leland Vittert)
• joebot.xyz (Joe Allen)