Podcast Summary: Bannon's War Room

Episode 5012: Live from AMFest 2025 Day 3
Date: December 20, 2025
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Location: AMFest 2025

Episode Overview

This high-energy episode of Bannon's War Room, broadcast live from AMFest 2025, concentrates on the current state of the populist MAGA movement, election integrity, the aftermath and ongoing impact of the January 6 events, and the direction of American conservatism in 2025. Through candid interviews, impassioned speeches, and audience participation, Bannon and his guests dissect "who controls this country," the spiritual and political battles ahead, and grassroots activism. The episode features a mix of music, testimonials from former January 6 prisoners, campaign pitches, and pointed critiques of the current political and cultural establishment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. January 6 Prisoners: Their Stories and Anthem

[00:01–13:30]

• The episode opens with a series of personal introductions and testimonials from former January 6 prisoners.

• These individuals recount their hardships, the solidarity they formed, and their sense of mission.

• The segment features “Anthem of the Free,” a song that these former prisoners collaborated on, expressing hope, unity, and gratitude, especially for presidential pardons.

• The testimonials intertwine gratitude for Donald Trump’s pardons and tributes to comrades lost.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “We sing for all the people who never made it home. Through us, their stories will be told. We stand as one, united in this fight for liberty.” – J6 Prison Choir [00:05]
  • “Blessed by God, pardoned by Trump. Thank you Donald Trump for pardoning us and giving us a second chance on life.” – Multiple Ex-Prisoners [00:11]

2. Stephen K. Bannon Opening Monologue

[13:30–22:30]

• Bannon welcomes the AMFest crowd and energetically recaps prior events, referencing a “hornet's nest” kicked over by his speech the previous night.

• He sets a tone: this is "the nastiest political year ever,” highlighting the assassination of Charlie Kirk and framing it as a spiritual battle reflective of America’s “de-Christianization.”

• Bannon ties the threats faced by prominent conservatives to broader cultural decay.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we’re going medieval on these people.” – Bannon [13:30]
  • “This is why Charlie Kirk was assassinated. It’s a spiritual war.” – Bannon [22:10]
  • “Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose? If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.” – Bannon [22:25]

3. Power Struggles: Who Controls America?

[22:30–28:40]

• Bannon explores the question: “Who makes the decisions—oligarchs or the people?” framing the MAGA movement as fundamentally anti-oligarch and populist.

• He warns of upcoming technological singularities: AI, CRISPR, and quantum computing, emphasizing the dangers of centralized, elite control over these fields.

• Bannon critiques U.S. foreign policy spending ("$60 billion to Gaza but not to East Palestine, Ohio"), military intervention in Syria, and calls for national focus.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “We’re going to go through one of the biggest inflection points in the history of our species … On this side is Homo sapiens. On the other side is Homo sapien 2.0.” – Bannon [25:15]
  • “Why don’t we bring [the Iowa National Guard] all home and send them to Minneapolis?” – Bannon [28:30]

4. Grassroots Testimonies: Local Activism

[36:20–43:50]

• Audience participation includes:

  • Cynthia Collins (San Diego, CA): Asserts the ongoing conservative fight in California, particularly among Asian American communities. [38:15]
  • Lance from Jacksonville: Describes wage compression in construction due to illegal immigration since the 1980s, challenging narratives about these jobs. [41:05]

  Notable Quotes:

  • “Don't discount California. We are going to take it back.” – Cynthia Collins [38:44]
  • “Illegals ... drove wages down about 50% … it just became untenable. You couldn’t compete.” – Lance [41:20]

5. “Anthem of the Free" and The Power of MAGA Media

[43:50–46:40]

• Update on the J6 Prison Choir’s song, “Anthem of the Free,” which reached #1 on iTunes, briefly overtaken by Mariah Carey.

• LJ, producer, emphasizes the importance of fans manually downloading the song to drive Billboard rankings, praising the War Room and MAGA communities’ organic impact.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “This is the power of the War Room posse and the rap community ... no support from digital streaming platforms, but the people love it.” – LJ [44:55]

6. Mike Lindell: Candidacy for Governor, Election Integrity, & Welfare Fraud

[46:40–59:00]

• Bannon interviews Mike Lindell (MyPillow CEO), a high-profile advocate for election integrity and now candidate for Minnesota governor.

• Lindell outlines his vision: rooting out welfare fraud tied to illegal immigration, promising practical solutions from his business background.

• Bannon and Lindell exchange on accountability: “send them back” (referring to Somalian immigrants involved in fraud) and program overhauls.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “Steve, first of all ... when I did events with Charlie [Kirk] … I would just get closer to Jesus. Never stop spreading his teachings.” – Mike Lindell [47:35]
  • "When are you going to ship these Somalians out of there and get our fricking money back?" – Bannon [51:10]
  • “I’ve got solutions ... involving the private sector … a plug-in system that cleans up the fraud” – Lindell [53:45]
  • "You’re a politician for a week and already...where’s my Mike Lindell? Maybe we'll just come back and work on selling pillows.” – Bannon, ribbing Mike Lindell [56:24]

7. Election Attorneys: Cleaning Up Arizona and Beyond

[61:00–69:00]

• Greg Roberg, Trump 2024 campaign attorney and Arizona AG candidate, discusses lessons from 2020 and steps for securing elections—vowing an audit of federal-only voter lists for non-citizens.

• Emphasis on the need for tough, non-establishment legal fighters in battleground states.

• Audience is encouraged to become personally involved: “This is a day of action. We need to commence midterms 2026 today.” [62:57]

  Notable Quotes:

  • “I’m not a politician. I’m running for Attorney General to finally, finally, finally clean up Arizona’s elections.” – Greg Roberg [65:50]

8. J6 Ex-Prisoner Testimony: The Reality of Political Prisonership

[70:00–78:25]

• Former J6 inmate recounts 32 months of incarceration, emphasizing solitary confinement, harsh treatment, and being labeled a “tier one domestic terrorist.”

• Attributes these actions to the DOJ and media’s collusion, calling it a “political persecution.”

• Support of the War Room audience, Cowboy Logic, and advocacy groups credited for their resilience.

  Notable Quotes:

  • "We were the only people in the DC jail that used to get shackled … the FBI labeled us Tier 1 anti-government extremists … domestic terrorists and treated us accordingly." – J6 Former Prisoner [71:30]
  • "I would rather take 10,000 years in jail than ever bend my knee and capitulate to what you people are trying to do to us because it’s wrong.” – J6 Former Prisoner [74:30]

9. Advocacy for J6 Defendants: Stand in the Gap

[78:25–82:00]

• The founder of the Stand in the Gap foundation details efforts to support January 6 defendants and their families.

• She frames their cause as not simply about a few individuals but an effort to “instill fear … in the American people to say, never question your government.”

• Quotes the vital role of alternative media like War Room in keeping the truth alive.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “It wasn’t just about the 1600 January 6th defendants. It was to instill fear … because that’s what they did on January 6th. They showed up at the doorstep and said, ‘Hey, you agree with that?’ That was to intimidate you.” – Stand in the Gap founder [79:40]

10. Tina Peters’ Legal Saga & Election Machines Vulnerabilities

[82:00–89:20]

• John Case, attorney for Tina Peters, describes her solitary confinement, her exposure of prison conditions, and the manipulation possible in voting machines (allegedly vulnerable due to foreign—Venezuelan—design).

• Recounts a dramatic moment: serving President Trump's pardon at the prison door, only for it to be rejected.

• Point made: stakes of election integrity and the message of faith—one nation under God.

  Notable Quotes:

  • “When the prison heard that DOJ had opened an investigation … they suddenly went on a cleaning spree. They were scrubbing black mold off the walls.” – John Case [84:30]
  • "The Department of Corrections does not consider President Trump's pardon valid, therefore they will not release Tina Peters." – John Case recounting official statement [88:00]
  • “God is love. He became a human being, born to Mary in Bethlehem. We need to carry that message along with the message that we’re one nation under God.” – John Case [88:43]

Memorable Quotes by Timestamp

• “We sing for all the people who never made it home. Through us, their stories will be told. We stand as one, united in this fight for liberty.”
  — J6 Prison Choir [00:05]

• “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we’re going medieval on these people.”
  — Stephen K. Bannon [13:30]

• “This is why Charlie Kirk was assassinated. It’s a spiritual war.”
  — Stephen K. Bannon [22:10]

• “You can love your country and still call out its flaws. You can back the constitution and still question the laws.”
  — J6 Prison Choir [11:25]

• "Don't discount California. We are going to take it back."
  — Cynthia Collins [38:44]

• “I'm not a politician. I'm running for Attorney General to finally, finally, finally clean up Arizona's elections.”
  — Greg Roberg [65:50]

• "I would rather take 10,000 years in jail than ever bend my knee and capitulate to what you people are trying to do to us because it’s wrong.”
  — J6 Former Prisoner [74:30]

• "It wasn’t just about the 1600 January 6th defendants. It was to instill fear … because that’s what they did on January 6th. They showed up at the doorstep and said, 'Hey, you agree with that?' That was to intimidate you.”
  — Stand in the Gap founder [79:40]

• "The Department of Corrections does not consider President Trump's pardon valid, therefore they will not release Tina Peters."
  — John Case [88:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01–13:30: J6 Prisoners’ Testimonies and Anthem
• 13:30–22:30: Bannon’s Opening Monologue (“Primal Scream”)
• 22:30–28:40: Who Controls America? Challenge to Oligarchs
• 36:20–43:50: Grassroots/Local Activism Interviews
• 43:50–46:40: “Anthem of the Free” goes viral—LJ Interview
• 46:40–59:00: Mike Lindell on Gubernatorial Run, Election Integrity
• 61:00–69:00: Election Attorney Greg Roberg—Securing Arizona and Beyond
• 70:00–78:25: J6 Ex-Prisoner—Solitary and Political Persecution
• 78:25–82:00: Stand in the Gap—Advocacy for Political Prisoners
• 82:00–89:20: John Case on Tina Peters & Voting Machine Claims

Tone and Language

The episode maintains Bannon’s combative, urgent, and populist tone: direct, emotionally charged, and unapologetically partisan. Guest speakers, activists, and ex-prisoners match his energy, highlighting the perceived stakes—spiritual, cultural, political—of the 2025 moment. Despite somber moments and recounting of hardships, the mood retains defiance, gratitude for community support, and a call to action.

Conclusion

Episode 5012 of Bannon’s War Room from AMFest 2025 is a sweeping town hall on the MAGA movement’s status, its grievances, heroes, and plans for the future. It interlaces music, testimonial, campaign agenda, and activism, sustaining the War Room’s motto of fighting for “liberty, justice for our voices,” and asserting that in 2025, the war for America's soul—spiritual, political, and civic—is far from over.