Bannon's War Room, Episode 5069 – Minnesota And Tim Walz Wants To Play Games Against Trump's America; Exclusive With David Hoch

Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Key Guests: David Hoch (investigator), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), others

Episode Overview

This explosive episode centers on escalating confrontations in Minnesota between federal authorities—particularly ICE agents—and local residents, amid sweeping Trump administration immigration enforcement actions. Stephen K. Bannon and guests frame the events as both a test case and the opening salvo in a larger political and cultural war over American sovereignty, immigration, law enforcement, and institutional corruption. The episode also features an exclusive with David Hoch, whose investigative work into fraud in Minnesota’s social programs has captured national attention.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Federal Crackdown in Minnesota: The Situation on the Ground

• Federal (ICE) agents—in the thousands—are reported conducting aggressive immigration enforcement, including:
  • Door-to-door raids.
  • Questioning and detentions of both citizens and non-citizens.
  • Reports, disputed by some, of excessive force (e.g., pregnant women dragged, windows broken, people taken into vans).
  • Violent confrontations, including a recent shooting of a Venezuelan migrant during a “targeted traffic stop.”
    • Protesters responded with fireworks; agents used flashbangs and gas.

A: "This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it's a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government." (00:56)

2. Escalation and Calls for Resistance

• Extreme rhetoric surfaces among those opposing the federal presence:
  • Calls for armed resistance and self-defense against agents.
  • References to “coming back with weapons” and resisting “by any means necessary.”

B: "People need to show up with guns to face you guys." (01:04)
C: "It's fucking time for an armed resistance... By any means necessary." (01:08, 01:45)
B: "You shot a woman in a wheelchair. We need to come back with weapons." (01:18)

3. Local Leaders Respond

• Minneapolis Mayor and state leaders urge restraint and peaceful protest, stressing the unsustainable nature of the crisis and asking residents NOT to engage in violence.

D: "What I can tell you for certain is that this is not sustainable. This is an impossible situation that our city is presently being put in..." (02:41)
D: "We cannot counter Donald Trump's chaos with our own brand of chaos..." (03:46)

4. Legal Rights Amid the Crackdown

• Guests clarify the basic rights of individuals confronted by ICE, emphasizing:
  • Right to protest.
  • Due process protections for all on US soil, regardless of citizenship.
  • Right to remain silent.

E: "All people on American soil, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status, have a right under the First Amendment to engage in peaceful protest..." (06:53)

5. Governor Walz’s Defiant Stance & Community Resilience

• Walz issues a fiery statement urging Minnesotans to “remain peaceful” yet continue resisting and documenting abuses.
• Stresses the need for mutual aid, solidarity, and gathering evidence for future accountability.

A: "First, Donald Trump wants this chaos... We must protest... peacefully." (08:31)
A: "You have an absolute right to peacefully film ICE agents as they conduct these activities... Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans..." (09:08)

6. The Bannon Frame: “War,” Sovereignty, and the Insurrection Act

• Bannon and aligned guests present events as an existential struggle for the country’s future, demanding a hardline response:
  • Mass deportations as a matter of sovereignty.
  • Invocation of the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if necessary.
  • Framing opposition as "anti-American Republic," "Marxists," and "jihadists."
  • Equates current struggles to historical moments (Nixon era, Vietnam).

Bannon: "We demand mass deportations. Not the onesies twosies you're seeing in Minnesota. You haven't seen anything yet. We're the biggest advocate of invoking the Insurrection act and going in and cleaning out the mess." (12:15)

7. Exclusive: David Hoch on Minnesota Somali Fraud Investigations

• David Hoch shares his years-long investigation into large-scale fraud in childcare, transportation, and health service programs—allegedly orchestrated by networks in Minnesota’s Somali community and enabled by government failures.
  • Claims “phantom” companies receive state/federal money.
  • Says his documentation is indisputable; criticizes officials for ignoring or enabling fraud.
  • Outlines the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ central role.

C (David Hoch): "We got more childcare centers than we do children in Minneapolis... Every single one of them was Somali... I started to look into who owns these childcare centers... massive amount of data, and everything that I do is backed up 100% by documentation." (36:35)

8. Political Frustration & Congressional Inertia

• Rep. Chip Roy and allies decry GOP leadership for continuing to fund “weaponized government” and “NGOs” allegedly undermining American interests.
• Reiterate need to “defund tyranny,” cut funding to “sanctuary cities,” and get “militant.”

D (Rep. Roy): "There is a block... that continues to fund the very groups that are undermining us. We need to defund tyranny..." (48:22)

D (Roy): "A lot more people understand it. We’ve made progress... But we've got a long way to go to get people to understand your point. We’re at war. Stop funding our enemies." (51:20)

9. National Stakes and Looking Ahead

• Bannon paints Minnesota as the epicenter but predicts similar battles coming to New York, California, and other “blue” states—especially as federal funding debates loom.

Bannon: "The focus of the sovereignty of this nation, the epicenter is Minnesota. But it's going to get worse when you go into New York... they’re going to try to shut down the government on not funding ICE... Let it explode." (25:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• A: "This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it's a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government." (00:56)
• B: "People need to show up with guns to face you guys." (01:04)
• C: "It's fucking time for an armed resistance." (01:08)
• D: "We cannot counter Donald Trump's chaos with our own brand of chaos." (03:46)
• E: "All people on American soil, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status, have a right under the First Amendment to engage in peaceful protest..." (06:53)
• A: "You have an absolute right to peacefully film ICE agents as they conduct these activities... Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans..." (09:08)
• Bannon: "We demand mass deportations... invoke the Insurrection Act and go in and clean out the mess." (12:15)
• C (David Hoch): "We got more childcare centers than we do children... massive amount of data... everything... backed up 100% by documentation." (36:35)
• D (Rep. Roy): "There is a block... that continues to fund the very groups that are undermining us. We need to defund tyranny..." (48:22)
• Bannon: "The focus of the sovereignty of this nation, the epicenter is Minnesota. But it's going to get worse... Let it explode. Let it explode." (25:25)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–02:41: Breakdown of ICE actions in Minnesota, tensions and reports of violence.
• 02:41–04:20: Mayor and local officials urge non-violence, moot point of law enforcement vs. ICE.
• 06:53–08:31: Legal rights in the face of ICE/federal law enforcement.
• 08:31–10:53: Governor Walz’s address: calls for peace, mutual aid, and documenting abuses.
• 12:15–19:24: Bannon frames the conflict as existential, promotes tough measures, historical analogies.
• 36:35–43:40: David Hoch’s investigation—methodology, findings, implications for government programs.
• 48:22–53:14: Chip Roy and Tim Burchett attack GOP habits of funding opposition, discuss priorities in Congress.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of War Room is a flashpoint for America’s ongoing struggle over immigration, federal authority, and the direction of the nation. The hosts and guests employ martial rhetoric, frame Minnesota as ground zero in a national struggle, and demand the most aggressive governmental and civic responses possible—from sweeping legal reforms and mass deportations to rooting out what they allege is systemic fraud, all while warning followers to be “militant” in defense of American sovereignty.

For those who haven't listened:
This episode is urgent, inflammatory, and uncompromising in tone. It presents the perspective that Minnesota is under siege—by both federal "overreach" and criminal networks. It features both on-the-ground details and sweeping ideological arguments about the future of American nationality, law, and culture. Notably, the show amplifies calls for mass mobilization, government force, and deeper investigations, while also granting space for defenders of due process and civil liberties to make their case.