Podcast Summary

Podcast: Bannon’s War Room
Episode: 5163: Mexico Falls Into Chaos After Execution Of Cartel Kingpin
Date: February 23, 2026
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Guests: Erik Prince, Art Del Cueto, Oscar Blue Ramirez, Tom Homan, David ‘Nino’ Rodriguez, Mike Lindell, Ben Berkwam

Episode Overview

This episode of Bannon’s War Room focuses on the immediate and explosive fallout in Mexico following the reported execution of a major cartel leader (widely implied to be "El Mencho"), the implications for American citizens and border security, and broader reflections on U.S. policy, media narratives, and the Trump administration’s immigration stance. The show features live updates, expert analysis, and emotional testimony from those affected by both cartel violence and U.S. government responses.

1. The Trump Administration and the Border Crisis

Timestamps: 00:00–04:29

• Stephen K. Bannon opens the show reflecting on President Trump’s distinctive approach to the border crisis starting in 2015, contrasting Trump's engagement with affected families—“angel families”—against the indifference of “the political culture in Washington.”
• Bannon emphasizes the importance of media figures like Ben Berkwam and Oscar Blue Ramirez who have covered angel families and cartel violence, arguing that only Trump made their stories central to national discussion.
• Bannon recounts the infamous Trump escalator speech:

  “When he talked about the rapists, he talked about the murders. What was he talking about? The angel families… The political culture… was outraged that somebody had sat there and told the truth to the American people.” (A, 02:21)

2. Explosive Cartel Violence in Mexico & U.S. Intelligence Involvement

Timestamps: 04:29–11:51

• Erik Prince calls out current chaos in Mexico as a chilling lesson in lawlessness, linking it to failed border policies and comparing it with the breakdown in Haiti after years of corruption and neglect.

  “If we want cartel explosions like in Mexico, or ... the complete meltdown of a society in Haiti, then keep allowing laws to be ignored.” (B, 04:32)

• Bannon and Prince blame U.S. aid programs for empowering NGOs benefiting from illegal migration, praising Trump’s liquidation of USAID.
• Bannon presses Prince about rumors of U.S. involvement in the strike against the cartel kingpin:

  “There’s now open discussion about how this was a joint… intelligence team... called Cartel Control that provided targeting.” (A, 09:18)

• Prince suggests U.S. intelligence support was crucial but suspects the actual operation was executed by a vetted Mexican military unit:

  “Unlikely that there was US guys... all the way to the doorstep... but certainly helped them with the find and fix part...” (B, 10:13)

3. Firsthand Updates: Americans Trapped, Cartel Retaliation, New Power Dynamics

Timestamps: 17:21–22:37

• Art Del Cueto (Border Patrol veteran, FAIR advisor) reports that American tourists are stranded in key resort town Puerto Vallarta as airports shut due to violence. Cartel forces are burning businesses, blocking roads, and warning of further chaos.

  “They burnt down banks, they burnt down the Costco, various other supermarkets... destroyed the roads...” (C, 18:27)

• A new cartel figure, “El Yo Gurt”, proclaims succession, raising fears of more infighting (“inner wars”) and sending waves of cartel operatives fleeing north:

  “We need to reinforce our borders... the individuals... may try to escape Mexico and come into the United States.” (C, 19:55)

4. Mexican Military and U.S. Collaboration

Timestamps: 20:35–22:50

• Oscar Blue Ramirez (Live from Mexico) elaborates on the severity of the security crisis:

  “Tijuana is a ghost town right now... The head of Sedena, the military, was in tears... an operation that needed to be done... collaboration with American intelligence.” (D, 21:23)

5. U.S. Angel Families, Media Bias & Political Obstacles

Timestamps: 23:06–27:52

• Ben Berkwam introduces Tom Homan (former ICE director), who argues that family separation by illegal alien criminals receives little media attention compared to the debate about border separations.

  “This is family separation... It doesn’t make sense to release a public safety threat back to reapply, take lives of these children.” (F, 23:35)

• Both Berkwam and Homan criticize mainstream media for painting illegal aliens as victims while ignoring stories of Americans, especially children, killed by criminals who entered the country illegally.

  “The media is out there portraying the illegal aliens as the good guys and American citizens... as the bad guys.” (A/B, 25:14)
  “Men and women of ICE are trying to prevent this stuff from happening, and we’re gonna keep on doing it. God bless us.” (F, 25:45)

• The deeply personal story of Laura Wilkerson (mother of a murdered son) is revisited, emphasizing the emotional stakes and the narrative often left untold by major outlets.

  “…her son… had been beaten, tortured... burned alive and then thrown... in a trash bin. People were shocked… The first time people heard their voices.” (A, 27:52)

6. Border Towns on Edge: El Paso & Juarez

Timestamps: 30:02–35:26

• David ‘Nino’ Rodriguez (El Paso-based podcaster) stresses the gravity of cartel power post-killing, likening the situation to open warfare:

  “This is war with Mexico... the cartels own and control every element of Mexico... and this will bleed into America.” (G, 30:02)

• He warns the violence could spread, with intent to “make Trump look as ugly as possible… mow down schools… kill innocent civilians…”
• Juarez, a massive city across from El Paso, is described as tense, dangerous, and waiting for events to escalate.

  “Let’s just put it this way. I haven’t been to Juarez in 10 years. The last time I was there, I had a gun to my head. And that’s a true story.” (G, 31:52)

• Rodriguez claims recent cartel movements and U.S. intelligence involvement represent a shift to “preemptive strike” strategy to prevent further violence on U.S. soil.

7. Political and Policy Takeaways

Timestamps: 36:33–39:24

• Mike Lindell (entrepreneur and political candidate in Minnesota) highlights the frustration among some politicians and taxpayers over the high costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants in U.S. prisons.

  “We have... over 900 prisoners here that are illegals... $110 million we’re paying to house the worst of the worst in our prisons... It’s disgusting.” (E, 36:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bannon on the Trump Moment:

  “The media was outraged... that somebody had sat there and told the truth to the American people.” (A, 02:21)

• Erik Prince on Lawlessness:

  “If we want cartel explosions like in Mexico, or... the complete meltdown of a society in Haiti, then keep allowing laws to be ignored.” (B, 04:32)

• Art Del Cueto on Puerto Vallarta:

  “I just got word... airports are closed again... planes are once again grounded. They didn’t even get a single plane off the ground.” (C, 18:27)

• Oscar Blue Ramirez on Ghost Towns:

  “Tijuana is a ghost town right now... businesses are closing... the cartel is... terrorizing the citizens.” (D, 21:06)

• David ‘Nino’ Rodriguez on War in Mexico:

  “We are at war with Mexico... the cartels own and control every element... This will bleed into America.” (G, 30:02)

• Mike Lindell on Costs to Minnesota:

  “$110 million we’re paying to house the worst of the worst in our prisons... Can you think you could let ICE come and pick them up and get them out of our country?” (E, 37:46)

Key Segments & Timestamps

• 00:00–04:29 – Trump’s unique approach; early campaign; media outrage.
• 04:29–11:51 – Erik Prince: cartel chaos as warning; U.S. intelligence role; Haiti/U.S.AID critique.
• 17:21–22:37 – Art Del Cueto and Oscar Blue Ramirez: live updates, airports closed, cities on lockdown.
• 23:06–27:52 – Tom Homan and Ben Berkwam: ICE, “angel families,” media misrepresentation.
• 30:02–35:26 – David ‘Nino’ Rodriguez: escalation, warnings to Americans, real nature of cartel violence.
• 36:33–39:24 – Mike Lindell: U.S. prison costs for illegal immigrants; criticism of political inaction.

Tone and Language

• The tone is urgent, emotive, and combative, casting President Trump as uniquely honest and the current crisis as a result of failed policies and media dishonesty.
• There’s consistent emphasis on first-person testimony, “ground truth,” and moral clarity in the face of institutional resistance.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for those seeking firsthand perspectives on the chaos unleashed in Mexico after a cartel kingpin’s killing. It packs together real-time updates, border law enforcement analysis, and unfiltered critiques of U.S. policy and media. The show’s core message is that cartel violence is now a national security crisis for both Mexico and the United States, with Americans directly endangered and with urgent calls for strong, unprecedented federal action. Throughout, the personal costs—to families, law enforcement, and ordinary citizens—are foregrounded, pushing listeners to consider whether the political and media establishments are truly listening.