Podcast Summary: Bannon's War Room
Episode 4985: Live Coverage From Trump's Rally In Mt. Poco
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon
Location: Mount Airy Casino, Poconos, Pennsylvania
Overview
This episode broadcasts live from President Donald Trump’s rally near Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the Mount Airy Casino. Steve Bannon and a range of guests—including local officials, former military personnel, entrepreneurs, and Trump administration figures—provide commentary and analysis on Trump’s economic platform, local and national political strategy, and key issues like trade, energy, inflation, and artificial intelligence. The focus is on the significance of Northeastern Pennsylvania as a political bellwether and the Biden vs. Trump economic legacies.
Key Themes & Discussion Points
1. Scranton’s Symbolic and Strategic Significance
- Scranton is positioned as a critical bellwether for Pennsylvania—a swing state—and by extension, the nation. It’s framed as a cross-section of American demographics and economic interests.
- Steve Bannon: “Scranton’s one of those bellwethers... Pennsylvania is a swing state and a bellwether state.” [05:19]
- The “Joe from Scranton” narrative is derided as inauthentic, with Bannon arguing that Biden’s ties to Delaware are more representative of corporate interests.
- Steve Bannon: “He spent a minute there when he was born, really from Delaware, the corporate box.” [05:43]
2. Trump’s Economic Platform and “The Big Beautiful Bill”
- Trump is personally traveling the country to pitch his economic package, promoting tax cuts (notably for overtime and tips), tariffs to bring back manufacturing, and energy dominance.
- Emphasis on the newly-passed legislation making overtime pay tax-free for first responders and working families.
- Kyle Kashik, first responder: “Making overtime tax-free helps us stretch our paychecks further at a time when everything feels more expensive.” [04:18]
- Return of capital investment and manufacturing jobs is a key promise, with large-scale encouragement for plant and equipment upgrades.
- Steve Bannon: “He’s going to make America great again by bringing back manufacturing jobs... get capital invested... give attractive tax benefits.” [11:36]
3. Trade, Tariffs, and the Battle Against Deficits
- Tariffs are framed as engines of domestic production and national security rather than inflationary drivers.
- Steve Bannon: “Tariffs are a forcing function to drive manufacturing back... If you don’t bring your manufacturing back to the United States, you’ll pay a tariff.” [08:52]
- Ongoing efforts to negotiate substantial international investment in the U.S. as a way to offset years of trade deficits and deindustrialization.
4. Inflation, Interest Rates & the “Three I’s”
- The debate homes in on inflation, interest rates, and immigration as the main drivers making life unaffordable under Biden ("Bidenflation").
- Brian Glenn: “Biden and his auto pen were the chief architects of the worst inflation... in a generation.” [34:47]
- Brian Glenn: "The third I that drove the cost of living crisis under Biden was inflation..." [39:27]
- Optimism is expressed that Trump’s policies—lowering taxes, raising wages, and deregulation—are already producing a “blue collar boom.”
- Brian Glenn: “We are witnessing a blue collar boom, with real wages for blue collar workers... increasing at one of the fastest rates in the last half century.” [37:21]
5. Energy Independence & Local Economic Revival
- Pennsylvania’s natural gas and coal reserves are touted as foundations for national energy independence and local economic revival.
- Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy: “The anthracite coal from this region launched America to the country we are today.” [31:22]
- Ernie Priet: “We could be the energy capital of the whole world. All we have to do is build the ships to take it over to Europe.” [21:39]
6. Congressional and Political Stakes
- The importance of holding two key Pennsylvania congressional seats in 2026 is emphasized in order to maintain a Republican majority and push reforms.
- Ernie Priet: “You only have a two vote lead in the House and if we don't have that, you're not going to get anything in the way of reform done.” [25:17]
7. AI Policy and Tech Rivalry with China
- The Genesis Mission for U.S. AI leadership is discussed alongside state-level efforts to regulate and safeguard against AI abuses.
- Chris Wright: “Major initiative... for the United States to lead in AI to, to maintain our global superiority. Military, technology, economic—AI is going to be transformative for our country.” [30:34]
- Warnings against U.S. technological dependency on China, and arguments for tighter controls and the prevention of technology and know-how transfers.
- Steve Bannon: “You cut them off from equity capital, you cut them off from debt capital, you cut them off from all the capital markets in the United States... Who does that? Would the Chinese do that for us? No, they wouldn't.” [46:12]
8. Entrepreneurial Challenges & Small Business Resilience
- High interest rates, inflation, and shipping costs remain challenges for small businesses. Resilience, support for American-made products, and tax relief (via Trump’s economic policies) are presented as solutions.
- Catherine O’Neill, entrepreneur: “It’s tough, but we have a really incredible dedicated team. And I think good employees go a long way for a business.” [49:52]
- Michael Lindell: “One of the biggest things... is get the price of diesel down... if the president can do anything... it’s going to help the whole economy.” [53:46]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Steve Bannon (Opening): “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going... medieval on these people.” [00:02]
- Kyle Kashik: “Knowing now that this work isn’t going to be taxed, well, that really goes a long way.” [03:56]
- Ernie Priet: “We got all the gas in the world that we need here with the Marcellus Shale... we could be the energy capital of the whole world.” [21:39]
- Brian Glenn: “Donald Trump stood above the endless stream of illegal immigration, yelling, stop.” [36:29]
- Brian Glenn: “Thanks to his one big beautiful bill, Americans are taking home more of their hard earned income... no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security and deductibility of auto loans for American made cars.” [41:52]
- Chris Wright: “The anthracite coal from this region launched America to the country we are today.” [31:22]
- Steve Bannon: “Tariffs... are a forcing function to drive manufacturing back here to the United States from international companies in other countries.” [08:52]
- Chris Wright: “AI is going to be transformative for our country. And we cannot be second behind China.” [30:34]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [00:53] – Introduction, Rally context, Scranton’s political symbolism
- [03:10] – Kyle Kashik on tax-free overtime for first responders
- [05:01] – Discussion of Pennsylvania congressional races
- [07:13] – Trump’s economic sales pitch, policy discussion
- [08:52] – Trade, tariffs, and manufacturing focus
- [19:22] – Ernie Priet on military reunions, PA energy and farming, political registration shift
- [22:44] – Importance of Scranton as an American “cross section”
- [25:17] – House races and political stakes
- [34:39] – Brian Glenn: Bidenflation, immigration, and the “three I’s”
- [41:52] – Glenn details tax relief and wage growth under Trump
- [46:04] – Bannon discusses state/federal tensions in AI regulation
- [49:52] – Catherine O’Neill on entrepreneurship challenges
- [53:46] – Michael Lindell on small business, shipping, and economic relief
Conclusion
Episode 4985 presents a broad, fiery defense of Trump-era and Trump 2024-25 economic policy, linking macroeconomic trends to local realities in Pennsylvania. Through policy analysis, local testimonials, and strategic commentary, the War Room frames this rally and the broader national moment as a turning point—presenting Trump as the architect of an emerging “golden age economy,” with Pennsylvania poised at the heart of America’s political and economic future.