Bannon’s War Room - Episode 4916

WarRoom Marines 250 Special: The Last 600 Meters

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon | Guests: Julie Kelly, Michael Pack, Charlie Kirk, Scott Cuomo, Adam

Episode Overview

This special Veterans/Marine Corps birthday edition of War Room focuses on two key topics:

1. Analysis of Recent Political Events: Debate over the recent government shutdown, Democratic and Republican strategy on healthcare subsidies, and the ongoing investigation into the January 6th D.C. pipe bomber.

2. Commemoration of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 250th Anniversary: Discussion of the upcoming national broadcast of the documentary "The Last 600 Meters," featuring firsthand Marine accounts from legendary Iraq War battles, with a deep dive into the experiences of Marine Scott Cuomo.

The episode features lively analysis, insider perspectives, and a tone of urgency and reverence for both current events and military history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Government Shutdown & Healthcare Policy

• Shutdown Strategy & Outcomes

  • Democrats’ handling of the shutdown is dissected. Tim argues they performed as well as possible given political realities, while Bannon and others question whether more could have been achieved.
  • Quote: “If they wanted to get the health care subsidies extended, they needed to win the election last November. The Republicans control all of Washington.” – Tim (01:05)
  • The group notes this was the longest shutdown in history—even surpassing those driven by Tea Party Republicans.

• Health Care Focus as Political Leverage

  • Adam observes that Democrats succeeded in making health care central to the national conversation, which sets up Republicans for scrutiny in the coming year.
  • Quote: “By not extending the ACA subsidies, Republicans have set themselves up for a year... that is going to be entirely focused on health care and people’s premiums are going to go up.” – Adam (03:44)

2. January 6th Pipe Bomber Investigation

A. Media & Investigative Claims

• Recent Blaze Media Report

  • Julie Kelly explains a recent Blaze article, hyped as potentially the “greatest political scandal of all time,” claiming to have nearly identified the pipe bomber using gait analysis. The report alleged involvement of high-level officials and insinuated a possible inside job involving law enforcement.
  • Julie is skeptical of the evidence, pointing out the article lacked solid proof and verifiable video, criticizing the decision to “call someone out” without transparency.
  • Quote: “It’s really irresponsible to float someone’s name without enough substantive evidence.” – Julie Kelly (12:07)

• Inside Job Theories

  • Julie Kelly and Darren Beatty have long suspected the chaos of January 6th was exacerbated or orchestrated in part by a law enforcement-connected inside job. She elaborates on suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery of the pipe bombs.
  • “If you expose the truth about the pipe bombs, the entire January 6th narrative unravels.” – Julie Kelly (09:52)

B. Limitations of Investigation & Transparency

• Lack of Government Transparency

  • Frustration mounts over why independent journalists are left to investigate with little to no support or data from official channels—FBI, Secret Service, or Capitol Police.
  • Quote: “Why are we not getting full cooperation by the official apparatuses we control?” – Steve Bannon (20:11)
  • Julie highlights ongoing issues: corrupted cell phone data, evidence buried, and a seemingly stalled investigation since Spring 2021.
  • “We're coming up on the five-year anniversary of January 6th... evidence was hidden, evidence was buried.” – Julie Kelly (21:58)

• Culture of Information Vacuum

  • Concern is raised that the lack of official answers creates a vacuum easily filled by speculation and misinformation.
  • “That’s why unfortunately that vacuum can be filled with bad information, which is what this report represents.” – Julie Kelly (23:30)

3. “The Last 600 Meters” Documentary & Marine Corps 250th Anniversary

A. The Documentary’s Journey

• PBS Premiere & Marine Corps Legacy
  • After a 17-year delay, PBS is set to air “The Last 600 Meters,” chronicling Iraq War battles—First Fallujah, Najaf, and Second Fallujah—through the eyes of Marine riflemen.
  • Michael Pack recounts years of PBS reluctance, noting criticisms like the film being “too pro military” or “overly curated”—PBS assumed the Marines depicted couldn’t represent ‘typical’ troops because of their remarkable courage and performance.

B. Firsthand Combat Experience – Interview with Scott Cuomo

• Battle of Najaf:

  • Scott Cuomo (then a 22 or 23-year-old lieutenant) recounts being thrust into a sudden, intensely personal and close-quarters urban fight, with Marines maneuvering alongside tanks and clearing densely packed tombstones and subterranean catacombs in 130+ degree heat.
  • Quote: “It was just battle nonstop... a cemetery that's 15, 20 square kilometers... nothing like this. Nothing in this proximity, this density...” – Scott Cuomo (29:46, 31:55)

• Human Element of Warfare:

  • Much of the battle’s toll was borne by 19- to 20-year-old Marines, many barely out of high school, fighting in unimaginably harsh physical and emotional conditions.
  • “They are, they're intense, they're young, they're angry. When you click us off safe, as we say in the Marine Corps, they're angry and they're going to do whatever they have to do to protect America, to protect each other.” – Scott Cuomo (40:20)

• Rules of Engagement & Challenge of Restraint:

  • Fighting was complicated by the proximity to holy sites—especially the Imam Ali Mosque, the “Vatican of the Shia religion.”
  • Marines had to absorb punishment and exercise remarkable restraint.
  • Quote: “The enemy knew what ours were... it was very difficult to be struck by mortar barrages that were launched from inside the complex and then to have to find other ways.” – Scott Cuomo (33:46)

C. The Strategic/Political Frustration

• Cutting a Deal:

  • At battle’s end, Marines were preparing for a final assault only to be ordered to stand down after a political deal—eliciting a sense of unfinished business.
  • “You finally, finally get the enemy... and then the Ayatollah Sistani... we were ready to go into the very final assault. And we got word to stand down...” – Scott Cuomo (36:28)

• The Marine Corps Ethos:

  • “Marines can win any battle... can't make the strategic decisions... but they can’t lose.” – Michael Pack & Scott Cuomo (37:47-38:02)

4. Notable Quotes & Moments

• Charlie Kirk on Media Narrative (04:15):

  • “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people. Got a free shot on all these networks lying about the people.”

• Julie Kelly’s Critique of the Blaze Article (12:07):

  • “It's really irresponsible to float someone's name without enough substantive evidence that confirms that this is the absolute identity of this suspect.”

• On the Marines’ Youth (40:03):

  • “The majority of the Marines in the battle, 19, 20 years old... These are 19-20 year old Americans, predominantly their non-commissioned officers, plus or minus 21 to 24 years old. And they are, they're intense, they're young, they're angry.”

• On Institutional Longevity (25:10):

  • “For 250 years you send the Marines, you got the hardest missions in the world that need to get executed. You need us to do them and we're going to do them, period.” – Scott Cuomo

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 04:15: Political Analysis—Shutdown strategy, health care leverage.
• 06:33 – 14:13: Breakdown of Blaze Media’s January 6th pipe bomber report; problems with evidence and journalism ethics.
• 17:02 – 23:44: Julie Kelly details anomalies in the discovery of the pipe bombs, government non-cooperation, and transparency failures.
• 24:37 – 33:46: Introduction to “The Last 600 Meters”; Scott Cuomo recounts the realities and intensity of the Battle of Najaf.
• 33:46 – 38:02: Challenges of restraint, rules of engagement, and the frustrations of political decisions overriding battlefield victories.
• 40:03 – 41:44: The age and ethos of Marines in combat; the generational legacy of the Corps.
• 46:02 – 48:37: Michael Pack discusses PBS's bias and the film’s long road to broadcast.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Political complexity and calculation dominate debates about shutdowns and policy leverage. The War Room hosts and guests critique both Democratic and Republican tactics, focusing heavily on missed opportunities and the broader impact on regular Americans.
• Deep skepticism toward mainstream and government narratives persists around January 6th, with independent journalism both leading new lines of inquiry and, at times, overreaching without necessary evidence.
• The “Last 600 Meters” and Marines’ testimony offer an unfiltered look at the human cost, courage, and complexity of modern urban combat—showcasing young Americans facing extraordinary trials and moral dilemmas with stoicism and valor.
• Institutional pride in the Marine Corps stands out, with the 250th anniversary serving as a backdrop to reflect on tradition, resilience, and sacrifice in both past and present.

Episode Mood & Tone

• Urgent, combative, and deeply patriotic—mixing high-level political strategy with visceral, ground-level military narrative.
• A blend of skepticism, frustration, pride, and a focus on the importance of truth and institutional legacy.

For More Information

• Julie Kelly’s reporting: Substack (“Declassified with Julie Kelly”), X (@julie_kelly2), RealClearInvestigations.
• The Last 600 Meters: PBS, 10 PM EST broadcast; look for streaming options on Amazon starting next day.
• Stay engaged with War Room and guests: Getter, WarRoom.org

Memorable Sign-Off:
“Happy birthday, fellow Marines out there. Semper Fi. Thank you.” — Scott Cuomo (41:44)