Bannon’s War Room – Episode 5023

Christmas Day Special 2025 (Part 2)
Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Guest: Patrick K. O’Donnell (Military Historian and Author)

Episode Overview

In this Christmas Day special, Stephen K. Bannon sits down with military historian Patrick K. O’Donnell for a sweeping conversation on decisive American military actions that took place around the Christmas season throughout history. The episode traverses pivotal moments from the American Revolution through the Civil War, World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, and finally the Korean War’s Chosin Reservoir, analyzing the severe hardships and audacious leadership that turned dire circumstances into moments of national triumph.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Decisive Christmas at Trenton – American Revolution

(00:18 – 13:02)

• Setting the Stage: Amid catastrophic defeats and dwindling hope, General George Washington faces the possible disintegration of the Continental Army as enlistments near expiration and morale plummets.

  • “They got out of town because this thing was looking bad and the British said they were going to hang… everybody that signed the Declaration.” (Bannon, 00:26)

• Washington’s Gamble: Washington plans a daring nighttime crossing of the Delaware River to attack the Hessian garrison in Trenton, despite near-impossible odds and brutal winter conditions.

  • “It’s one of the most audacious moves in the history of this country. Because the odds of this succeeding were incredibly long.” (Bannon, 03:22)

• Execution of the Plan:

  • Only John Glover’s main force makes it across the ice-choked river; other crossings fail (O’Donnell, 04:59).
  • Washington’s column surprises Hessian Colonel Johann Rall, seizing the Assunpink Creek bridge and preventing enemy retreat.
  • The victory at Trenton is complete, capturing nearly all Hessian forces—a dramatic turning of the war’s momentum.

  “It’s a catastrophic double envelopment which basically captures almost all of Rall’s forces.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 04:59

• Chain Reaction: The “Ten Crucial Days”:

  • Second Victory: After returning across the Delaware, Washington redeploys to counter British moves, resulting in the Second Battle of Trenton and the subsequent victory at Princeton.
  • These actions restore hope, energize Congress in Annapolis, and blur the image of the Americans as a lost cause.

  “These Americans are able to do… It’s another step towards an alliance and more aid from foreign powers.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 11:03

• Myth-busting: The State of Hessian Troops: Contrary to lore, Hessians were not drunk or unprepared; they were alert but exhausted from prior harassment and underestimated the audacity of a Christmas attack in a snowstorm.

  “It’s a myth. In fact, Rall’s troops are some of the best troops in the British army… but they’d been worn down by all these little raids.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 13:20

2. Civil War Christmas and Fredericksburg

(18:04 – 26:33)

• Jesse Scouts and Blazer’s Scouts: O’Donnell recounts stories from his book The Unvanquished, featuring covert Union units engaged in dangerous partisan warfare just before Christmas.

  • “These guys were total badasses… using intelligence to gather tactical intel to go after their partisans where they needed to go…”
    — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 18:25

• Battle of Fredericksburg:

  • The North, under intense political pressure, launches a doomed frontal assault, delayed by logistical failures and telegraphed intentions.
  • The resulting slaughter leaves a lasting scar on Union memory.

  “It was a suicide attack, is it not?”
  — Steve Bannon, 23:47

  “It’s true. Anything that went up against that stone wall was like 8 to 1 odds… They were slaughtered.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 25:50

3. World War II – Battle of the Bulge

(29:35 – 41:40)

• Surprise German Offensive: In December 1944, Hitler launches a last-ditch surprise counterattack through the Ardennes, overwhelming inexperienced American troops and causing chaotic retreats.

  “It’s a bold counteroffensive to somehow split the Allies… in the quiet front, which is the Ardennes.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 30:45

• Heroic Defense:

  • Paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne are thrust into desperate defensive stands, especially at Bastogne, where they become surrounded but refuse to surrender.
  • The infamously terse reply to a German surrender demand:

    “The official response was one word, ‘Nuts’… They send it back to the Germans who are befuddled by this…”
    — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 39:01

• Patton’s Relief: General Patton’s 3rd Army races to break the siege of Bastogne, reinforcing the mythos of American ingenuity and resolve in adversity.

  “It was a welcome sign when Patton’s troops do break the siege. They were being air supplied at this time and they were really holding their own too.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 37:55

• Weather and Hardship: The desperate cold, inadequate gear, and relentless combat lead to massive casualties and frostbite, stamping the battle into American memory.

  “Almost all the veterans I interviewed had frostbite either in their hands or their feet from battling in the Battle of Bulge.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 41:40

4. Korean War – The Chosin Reservoir

(42:39 – 49:37)

• Introduction to the Battle: O’Donnell introduces the epic suffering and valor of the 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir, a hallmark of American military endurance.

  “It’s Christmas 1950, Steve. And the 1st Marine Division is in… North Korea… The Marines know the Chinese are active… and the last weeks of Thanksgiving, the Chinese army of 120,000 or more… descend upon elements of the 1st Marine Division.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 43:23

• George Company’s Stand: With little training and inadequate equipment, George Company faces overwhelming numbers and unimaginable cold, epitomizing selfless sacrifice.

• Personal Memories and Legacy: O’Donnell shares how survivors revealed their stories, including the moment a famous photograph captured the spirit of the campaign.

  “They go by, they go by these troops and they ask this young guy what he wants for Christmas…”
  “What is his answer to give me tomorrow. And that’s the photo… It tells—it’s a photo that captured the entire Chosin Reservoir.”
  — O’Donnell and Bannon, 49:09

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Washington’s Decision:
  “Victory begets victory. You needed something. Men needed something to hang onto, that The Continental Congress down in Annapolis needed something to hang onto…”
  — Steve Bannon, 03:22

• Double Envelopment at Trenton:
  “It’s a catastrophic double envelopment which basically captures almost all of Rall’s forces.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 04:59

• Christmas as Ultimate Surprise:
  “It’s the ultimate element of surprise… There’s a real critical shortage of forage… So they go into winter quarters… When in the fact it’s the Americans that are wearing down the great empire.”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 12:06

• Bastogne’s Defiant Reply:
  “The official response was one word, ‘Nuts.’ And they send it back to the Germans who are befuddled by this…”
  — Patrick K. O’Donnell, 39:01

• Endurance at Chosin Reservoir:
  “What do you want? All those troops? Give me—give me two more, Patrick. Battalion of Chinese. Thank you… Merry Christmas.”
  — Steve Bannon, 49:37

Book References

• Washington’s Immortals — Patrick K. O’Donnell
• The Indispensables — Patrick K. O’Donnell
• The Unvanquished — Patrick K. O’Donnell
• Beyond Valor (Battle of the Bulge) — Patrick K. O’Donnell
• Dog Company — Patrick K. O’Donnell
• Give Me Tomorrow (Chosin Reservoir) — Patrick K. O’Donnell

“That book is a bestseller. You can get it anywhere—Barnes and Noble or any bookstore, pretty much. And my…”
— Patrick K. O’Donnell, 48:55

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:18 – Washington’s predicament and the plan for Trenton
• 03:22 – The stakes: morale and survival of the army
• 04:59 – Execution of the Trenton attack; rare historical “double envelopment”
• 09:03 – Success at Princeton and the shift in political momentum
• 13:20 – Myths about Hessian troops at Trenton
• 18:04 – Civil War: “The Unvanquished” and Blazer/Jesse Scouts
• 21:44 – Battle of Fredericksburg: Christmas tragedy in the Civil War
• 29:35 – Battle of the Bulge: Set-up and surprise offensive
• 37:32 – Patton's relief of Bastogne and the “nuts” legend
• 43:23 – Chosin Reservoir: George Company’s ordeal and legacy
• 49:09 – The “give me tomorrow” moment at Chosin: Iconic image of endurance

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a tone of somber reflection balanced with admiration for American courage and leadership, especially under dire circumstances. Bannon expresses deep respect for military sacrifice, drawing lessons of resilience and unity, while O’Donnell delivers riveting, detail-rich storytelling with a historian’s precision. The conversation is enlivened by vivid battle descriptions, myth-busting, and emotional anecdotes, making the history resonate personally and patriotically.

This Christmas Day episode of War Room stands as a powerful meditation on the recurring theme of American perseverance in times of darkness, illuminating how faith, boldness, and brotherhood have shaped the nation’s defining moments—even on the holiest of days.