Bannon’s War Room Episode 4968: “Stop AI Amnesty; Massive Turnout In Tennessee”
Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon, WarRoom.org
Episode Overview
This edition of Bannon’s War Room focuses on two major battles in the populist conservative movement:
- Defeating the "AI Amnesty" provision within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), thwarting what the hosts see as a power grab by Big Tech through federal preemption;
- Highlighting a surge in grassroots Republican turnout for a pivotal Tennessee congressional special election.
The program features detailed updates and inside commentary from advocacy lawyers, activists, and election watchers, presented with the show’s characteristic populist and combative tone.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Crushing “AI Amnesty” in Congress
Context:
Legislators and lobbyists attempted to include a federal “AI amnesty” in the NDAA, which critics say would preempt local/state AI regulations and favor Big Tech oligopolies. War Room guests and audience claim credit for mobilizing grassroots opposition and stopping the measure.
Key Segments:
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Mike Davis (Article III Project) joins by phone (01:12)
- War Room audience, working with the Article III Project, flooded legislators with pressure, derailing an amnesty for AI companies.
- "This is the credit goes to the War Room posse for lighting up both of their home state senators and their US House rep." (01:19)
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“Four C’s” Principle for AI Regulation (01:52)
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Davis details four priorities for any AI legislation:
- Protect Children from predators;
- Protect Communities from disruptive AI data centers (e.g., utilities, location);
- Protect Conservatives from AI-driven censorship;
- Protect Content Creators from IP theft.
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“We’re going to do this the American way, not the Chinese way… We can beat China the old-fashioned way… This is a huge win for the War Room posse.” (02:38)
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Critique of the Legislative Process (Steve Bannon, 03:48)
- Bannon criticizes Big Tech’s attempt to sneak provisions into must-pass bills.
- “They’ve tried twice to slip a couple pages in … They think they can just get their lobbyists and power through here…” (03:53)
- Bannon urges full committee debate and transparency for major policy shifts, not backroom deals.
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Call to Remain Vigilant (06:42)
- Despite the victory, Davis and Bannon stress continued grassroots pressure is necessary.
- “Run through the tape … light up both of their home state senators and their US House rep” (07:07)
- Both warn against repeating Section 230 mistakes: “We’re not going to repeat the mistakes we made almost twenty years ago with section two hundred and thirty amnesty… This industry would be Section 230 on steroids.” (07:38)
2. Tennessee Special Election: Mobilizing for MAGA Victory
Key Segments:
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Polling Surge—Michael Patrick Leahy reports from Tennessee (18:48)
- Leahy describes an unexpectedly high Election Day turnout in the TN-07 district, crediting coordinated grassroots and conservative media mobilization.
- “It looks like the projections are election day turnout may equal or surpass early voting … so far I think right now we’re on track for a ten point victory by Matt Van Epps tonight…” (19:01)
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Bannon Presses the Importance of Every Vote (20:04)
- “There’s no substitute for victory… the only thing that matters now is victory… It could hang in the balance right now.” (20:04)
- Urges listeners to keep voting as polls remain open.
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Chilly, Determined Voters—Leahy’s On-the-Ground Perspective (21:15)
- “It’s clear and cold here in middle Tennessee… but it’s very important… If you have not voted, turn your car around right now…” (21:15)
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Discussion of Candidate’s Credentials (21:50)
- “Matt Van Epps—a combat veteran, I think nine tours, ten years in combat—incredible guy.” (21:50)
3. Watergate, Lawfare, and Political Legacy
Key Segments:
- Bannon praises Leahy for Nixon doc and lawfare analysis (21:50–24:06)
- Connects historical use of the justice system against President Nixon to current legal warfare against Trump.
- Leahy: “We make the case that it was in fact more than a dozen violations of the due process rights of Richard Nixon and the Watergate defendants…” (24:06)
4. Redistricting Battles in Indiana (and National Implications)
Key Segments:
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Grassroots and Legislative Redistricting Efforts (32:10–40:24)
- Paul Lagaman (Heritage Action) outlines Indiana’s Republican 9-0 redistricting strategy, ongoing legislative process, and immense grassroots mobilization to pressure state senators.
- “This is the real difficulty… the grassroots from every district are calling their legislator…we feel this momentum building…” (39:00)
- States these state-level fights have national consequences for the House balance in 2026.
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MSNBC Critique Responded To (32:10)
- War Room ridicules mainstream media for describing GOP redistricting as “rigging,” counters with California’s Democratic-drawn maps as a double standard.
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Takeaway (Steve Bannon, 36:32)
- "This fight's not simply about an eight-one map versus a nine-oh map… this redistricting sets the predicate for the twenty twenty-six election…" (36:32)
5. Other Notable Topics & Moments
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Celebrating Grassroots Action
- “The War Room posse’s superpower, as we just proved once again, is action, action, action!” —Mike Davis (08:49)
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Populist Critique of Elites
- “You cannot fool MAGA… We’re going to get down and get the receipts and we’re going to find out.” —Steve Bannon (10:48)
- Repeated theme: Elites/lobbyists have “no respect” for regular Americans, whom they underestimate.
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Special Features
- Mike Lindell, briefly (47:04): Celebrates Texas counties moving to paper ballots and pitches MyPillow “exclusive deals” for War Room listeners.
- Discussion of Minnesota Democratic corruption (51:20): “Waltz is probably…the worst governor in history…Keith Ellison, worst attorney general in history…They all have one thing in common, they don’t like Christians…” —Mike Lindell (51:20)
Memorable Quotes
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On AI Oligarchs’ Legislative Tactics
“They think they can just get their lobbyists and just power through here… do you think now they understand… if you’re going to do something this profound, it’s got to be inclusive at least in the debate.”
Steve Bannon (03:48) -
On Grassroots Power
“The War Room posse’s superpower… is action, action, action!”
Mike Davis (08:49) -
On AI Regulation Principles
“…We’re going to protect children from predators, protect communities, protect conservatives from censorship, protect creators… We’re going to do this the American way, not the Chinese way.”
Mike Davis (02:18) -
Election Day Urgency
“There’s no substitute for victory… We gotta win this one… After-work voting is always very strong, particularly among working-class people that can’t do it before work.”
Steve Bannon (20:04) -
On Political Elites
“They do not respect the working man and woman of this country, they do not respect the middle class, they do not respect your base…”
Steve Bannon (12:31)
Important Timestamps
- 01:12 – Mike Davis details the successful grassroots effort interrupting AI amnesty in NDAA.
- 02:38 – Four C’s of AI regulation outlined.
- 07:07 – Urging listeners to keep pressure on legislators regarding AI oversight.
- 18:48 – Michael Patrick Leahy presents early Tennessee election turnout results.
- 19:01 – Leahy projects 10-point GOP victory if high turnout continues.
- 32:10–40:24 – Paul Lagaman explains Indiana redistricting efforts and national stakes.
- 47:04 – Mike Lindell celebrates progress on paper ballots in Texas.
- 51:20 – Lindell critiques Minnesota Democratic leadership for corruption.
Closing Summary
This episode of Bannon’s War Room juxtaposes detailed updates on major legislative and election fights—specifically, halting a tech-industry power grab in AI regulation and driving turnout for a must-win GOP special election in Tennessee. Throughout, the show hammers home its core themes of populist mobilization ("action, action, action!"), wariness of legislative shortcuts by elites, and the importance of transparency and debate in American governance. Listeners are repeatedly called to press their representatives, emphasizing that grassroots activism delivers concrete wins—a message both celebratory and defiant in tone.