Podcast Summary: Bannon’s War Room – Episode 5147

Title: An American Tet Offensive; Remembering Robert Duvall
Date: February 17, 2026
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Guests: Sam Faddis, Taj Gill, George Papadopoulos, Mike Lindell

Overview

This episode of Bannon’s War Room centers on two main themes:

1. The "American Tet Offensive": A discussion on the perceived scale, organization, and ideological drive of current left-wing activist movements, which Bannon and his guests compare to the Viet Cong’s Tet Offensive as a turning point that shifted the trajectory of conflict in the Vietnam War.
2. Remembering Robert Duvall: Reflections on the late actor’s influence, accompanied by memorable scenes from his roles.
   Further, the episode touches on global de-dollarization, American involvement in Ukraine, and topics of political strategy and business resilience.

Key Discussion Points

1. The "American Tet Offensive" and Marxist Revolutionary Movements

(Timestamps: 00:36–13:51)

a. Comparison to Vietnam’s Tet Offensive

• Bannon lays out the analogy, asserting that the US is facing a large-scale, coordinated, and well-funded revolutionary movement, comparable in surprise and impact to the Tet Offensive.
  • "This is a Tet offensive. People remember in Vietnam, the Tet offensive caught us totally by surprise … It was an inflection point to put the Communists on the path to victory." (02:28)

b. Left-Wing Activism Characterized as Revolutionary

• Sam Faddis expands on the analogy:
  • Asserts the leftist movement’s goal is “literally destroying the Republic … the existing political, economic and social order.”
  • Cites funding from hostile foreign governments and "leftist billionaires" fueling the infrastructure.
  • Claims arresting individuals is insufficient; the movement’s roots must be targeted.
  • "We’ve got a massive, ongoing communist revolutionary movement in the country. Very well funded, Communist Chinese chip in, the Cubans chip in, all kinds of bad actors chip in." (05:19)
  • “We’re busy arresting individual persons in the street in Minneapolis for assaulting an ICE agent … and doing nothing to tear this thing out by the roots, which ought to be our number one priority.” (06:04)

c. "The Issue is Never the Issue..."

• David Horowitz’s adage, as explained by Bannon and Faddis:
  • "The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution." (06:16–06:50)
  • Faddis: “Anything you are screaming about and using as a cause is just a lever … it's just a point at which you can divide society. It's a means to the end.” (06:52)
  • Attributing growing power to organizations like Democratic Socialists of America, claiming imminent takeover of the Democratic Party.

d. Media, Deep State, and Chaos

• Bannon and Faddis discuss the role of media and "deep state":
  • "One of their purposes is to create chaos, and from chaos comes anarchy." (08:27)
  • Faddis: "The solution … is to tear out by the roots the organizations … setting the country on fire." (09:23)

e. Ideological Indoctrination in Education

• Bannon compares activist youth to China’s "Red Guard," blaming decades of leftist indoctrination at universities and its trickle-down effect on all levels of US education.
  • "They've used the schools, the private schools, the top schools in the country ... to be basically a madrasa for revolution." (10:41)
  • Faddis: "The entire structure, the whole educational structure of the United States, is now infected with that ideology." (11:33)
  • National Education Association’s president cited as aligning with the Marxist Sunrise Movement, allegedly mobilizing educators for revolutionary causes. (11:56–13:01)

f. Practical Call to Action & Resources

• Faddis promotes his work at And Magazine (13:37)
• Bannon: "This is a full on Marxist jihadist movement … It must be maniacally focused and we must take action or we're going to be overwhelmed." (13:53)

2. Cultural Tribute: Remembering Robert Duvall

(Timestamps: 16:22–27:46)

a. Memorable Moments/Dialogue

• The hosts and guests read/act out celebrated lines from Duvall's film career, including Lonesome Dove, The Godfather, Network, and Apocalypse Now.
  • "I love the smell of napalm in the morning.... The whole hill smells like victory." – Robert Duvall as Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (23:38)
• Warm reminiscences and laughter as they reflect on Duvall’s impact.

b. Announcement of His Passing

• Bannon: "Robert Duvall, dead at 95 years old. We're going to take a short commercial break." (27:49)

3. Ukraine, Global Geopolitics, and De-dollarization

(Timestamps: 29:51–43:07)

a. Ukraine & American Military Appetite

• Taj Gill, sharing military and contractor experience:
  • "I think that the appetite is low to zero for doing this for 20 years, Steve, especially with Ukraine ... We want the money here. We want the money for our Children for our communities..." (32:13)
  • Cites corruption in Ukraine, criticizes funding.

b. The Move Away from the Dollar (De-dollarization)

• George Papadopoulos, fresh from a visit to Moscow:
  • Argues the real war is over the dollar’s role as reserve currency, citing US sanctions as the trigger for BRICS expansion and Russia–China alignment.
  • "The acceleration towards the de dollarization and the attack on the US dollar has really been instigated by these sanctions … it created the so called BRICS movement..." (35:38)
  • Suggests Russia seeks a return to US economic partnership for mutual benefit, and that resolving the Ukraine crisis is essential to protect the dollar's future.

c. How to End the Ukraine Conflict: Dividing Ukraine

• Papadopoulos proposes a de facto divide between west and east Ukraine, aligning with the region's ethnic and political realities.
  • "The eastern portion of Ukraine is predominantly ethnically Russian … that is the only solution." (41:25)
  • Compares to Cyprus, Korea.
  • Urges immediate peace: "If this war continues, Steve, Ukraine will no longer be a sovereign country." (42:30)

4. Political Strategy, Business Resilience, and Calls to Action

(Timestamps: 45:15–53:02)

a. Bannon’s Reflections on Prioritization

• Urges conservative movement to focus, not spread itself thin.
• Emphasizes "concentration" on major stakes—economy, security.

b. Mike Lindell: Personal and Business Updates

• Outlines campaign for Minnesota governor, pledging bans on sharia law, stricter protester laws.
• Frames Minnesota as "the tip of the spear for everything that's going on."
• Attributes MyPillow’s resilience to faith and the War Room audience.
• Offers product promotions, underscoring “Made in the USA.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sam Faddis (on revolution):
  “It is about literally destroying the Republic … very well funded, Communist Chinese chip in, the Cubans chip in, all kinds of bad actors chip in.” (05:18)

• David Horowitz adage, via Bannon:
  “The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution.” (06:16)

• Bannon (on education):
  “They've used these schools … to be basically a madrasa for revolution ... they are the Red Guard.” (10:41)

• Papadopoulos (from Moscow):
  “The real war is … the attempt to de-dollarize the global economy … the attack on the US dollar has really been instigated by these sanctions.” (35:38)

• Papadopoulos (on Ukraine solution):
  “There has to be a de facto divide between west and East Ukraine which takes the realities on the ground into account.” (41:25)

• Robert Duvall, remembered (from Apocalypse Now):
  “I love the smell of napalm in the morning. … The whole hill smells like victory.” (23:38)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 – Bannon introduces Sam Faddis and the "American Tet Offensive" thesis
• 03:38 – Faddis elaborates on revolutionary threat
• 06:16 – Discussion of Horowitz’s "the issue is never the issue"
• 08:27 – Media, chaos, and objectives of leftist movements
• 11:18 – Role of education and teacher unions
• 13:37 – Faddis gives resources for further reading
• 16:22–27:46 – Robert Duvall tribute
• 32:12 – Taj Gill on military appetite for Ukraine
• 35:38 – George Papadopoulos reports from Moscow, de-dollarization
• 41:25 – Papadopoulos on dividing Ukraine as a solution
• 49:22 – Mike Lindell on first steps as potential MN governor and business perseverance

Tone & Language

• Language retains the direct, urgent, sometimes confrontational style characteristic of Bannon and his guests.
• Frequent comparisons to historical events and revolutionary rhetoric.
• Blend of alarm, cultural nostalgia, and motivational calls to action.

Conclusion

This episode underscores Bannon and his guests’ belief in a pressing, organized ideological threat within the US, drawing analogies to revolutionary moments from history and tying domestic developments to global shifts in power, currency, and conflict. It is interspersed with cultural homage and advocacy for active, multi-front engagement—both in the political and consumer spheres.