Podcast Summary: Bannon’s War Room – Episode 5213

“When Does It Look Like The End With The War In Iran; Pentagon Moving More Troops Into Iran”
Date: March 13, 2026
Host: Steve Bannon (WarRoom.org)
Notable Guests: Eric Bolling, Neil McCabe, Bradley Thayer, Military Analysts

Overview

This episode offers a rapid-fire, insider-driven analysis of the intensifying war with Iran, focusing on U.S. military escalations, global energy market shocks, implications for U.S. domestic security, and the challenge of war termination. With news breaking during the episode of the Pentagon moving more troops and warships into the Middle East, Steve Bannon and his panel break down what these moves mean for U.S. strategy, the Iranian regime, and the American public. The tone is urgent, combative, and thick with MAGA-aligned perspective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military Escalation in Iran

• Breaking News: The Pentagon, confirmed via the Wall Street Journal, is moving a Marine amphibious ready group and warships to the Middle East in response to increased Iranian attacks on the Strait of Hormuz.

  • Details: USS Tripoli and 5,000 Marines being redeployed from the Pacific to support operations against Iran (40:24, 45:15).
  • Quote – Steve Bannon:
    “This is a major escalation. Now you’re talking about 5,000 Marines in the area. ... This sends a signal to Iran but it also sends a signal to the American people.” (41:25)

• Significant U.S. Airpower: The U.S. claims air supremacy over Tehran, now conducting intensive bombing runs targeting regime infrastructure, bunkers, and nuclear storage, moving away from expensive stand-off weapons to more traditional gravity-bombing runs.

  • “We have air supremacy that now we’re just over Tehran picking targets and going in on those targets … we have an unlimited stock of [gravity bombs].” – Steve Bannon (09:27)

• Targeting Iran’s Nuclear and Military Capacity: Focused strikes are reportedly degrading Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, air defenses, and navy.

  • “General Kaine really gave an exceptional [brief]: … we’re now over 6,000 targets that have been destroyed. … We’re making great progress on the ballistic missile front … Their air force has been largely destroyed.” – Bradley Thayer (35:38)

2. War Termination Scenarios: Is the End in Sight?

• U.S. objectives: Degrade Iran’s ability to threaten allies, especially through ballistic missiles and proxy/sleeper cell attacks.

• Debate persists whether the aim is a deal, surrender, or full regime change.

  • “I prefer the deal rather than the regime change. Surrender, as we’ve been talking about.” – Neil McCabe (11:07)

• Skepticism that Iran will accept defeat. Concern that even with military losses, Iran may resort to asymmetric responses (attacks in Hormuz, sleeper cell attacks).

  • “Are they just going to continue to try to draw the war out... it becomes some type of a cold conflict.” – Bradley Thayer (37:56)
  • “It’s a major escalation, and the points about war termination I think might be a bit premature. This is going to go on for weeks, at least.” – Bradley Thayer (46:09)

3. The Strait of Hormuz Crisis and Global Oil Shock

• Oil Market Disruption: Iranian actions and airstrikes have caused severe disruption at this critical oil chokepoint.

  • “The Strait of Hormuz is the number one most important choke point in the entire world.” – Unknown Military Analyst (04:29)

• Skyrocketing Prices:

  • “Brent is still up over $100 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate is unchanged today, which is I guess a plus.” – Neil McCabe (06:40)
  • Prices had recently been as low as $57/WTI before the war, now hovering at $95-100, with Brent peaking at $125 (12:41, 18:59).

• Long-Term Impact: The longer oil stays that high, the harder and slower the recovery and the heavier the inflation pressure.

  • “The implication is ... you’re going to have a $4 gallon of gasoline at the pump, it’s going to hit there at some point in the next 30 days.” – Neil McCabe (12:41)
  • “The longer it stays at $100 or $110 a barrel, the longer it’s going to take for it to get back down to reasonable prices.” (12:41)

• Geopolitics and Deals: European allies like Italy and France are reportedly attempting independent oil deals to secure supply, as is China.

  • “Our great allies in Italy and France ... are trying to cut a deal to have their oil get out also.” – Steve Bannon (03:28)

4. Iran’s Asymmetric, Proxy, and “Sleeper Cell” Threat

• Multiple recent attacks in the U.S. attributed to Iranian-linked actors or ISIS, increasing pressure on U.S. homeland security.
  • “In the last three weeks ... there have been four Iranian-friendly or slash ISIS attacks happening in the United States.” – Neil McCabe (07:16)
  • Specific incidents cited include synagogue attack in Michigan, IEDs in New York City, and a Texas shooting.

5. Energy Policy, Inflation, and Trump’s Economic Plan

• Trump’s Strategy: Advocates full-spectrum energy dominance and lower oil prices, blaming the “Biden regime” for previous price spikes and connecting oil price to inflation across the economy.

  • “President Trump was all about full spectrum energy dominance ... he will do everything in his power to get the oil price down and he will be successful. He did it once, he’ll do it again.” – Neil McCabe (22:05)
  • “Oil is the key to inflation ... Oil is tied to everything we do. When oil goes up, inflation goes up. Biden and the Democrats are too stupid to realize that.” (25:55)

• Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR): Critique of previous administration for draining reserves and failing to refill them.

  • “The SPR full capacity is about a 720 million barrel. Biden brought it down to 415 million barrels … now we’re going to be 250 million barrels. That’s about a 10 day supply for us. We need ... more than a billion barrels in our SPR, if not more.” – Neil McCabe (24:26)

6. Environmental and Infrastructure Realities

• A segment featuring a “landman” character (Billy Bob Thornton) rails against the impracticalities and environmental costs of wind/solar, asserting the globe is completely dependent on hydrocarbons:
  • “If the whole world decided to go electric tomorrow, we don’t have the transmission lines … It’d take 30 years if we started tomorrow … our whole lives depend on [petroleum].” (30:03)
  • “The thing that’s gonna kill us all is running out [of oil] before we find an alternative.” (31:16)

7. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we’re going medieval on these people.” – Steve Bannon (00:02)
• “Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose? If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.” – Eric Bolling (00:34)
• “We just rip it. It’s a brocast. And Steve Bannon would be great on that one.” – Neil McCabe about “The Edge” (27:22)
• “We should have more than a billion barrels in our spr, if not more.” – Neil McCabe (24:26)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:53 | Opening analysis: Trump, filibuster, and Senate/SAGA Act political wrangling | | 03:03 | Breaking: Update on K135 tanker crash, six killed (military casualties in the Iran conflict)| | 04:29 | Military Analyst: Iran’s nuclear bunkers, Straits of Hormuz as world oil chokepoint | | 06:40 | Oil market reaction: Prices surging, global market scrambling | | 09:27 | Comment: Today will see most ‘kinetic’ force yet against Iran, U.S. claims air supremacy | | 12:41-14:59 | Oil pricing, impact on gasoline, explanation of global benchmarks | | 18:59 | Detailed analysis on shut ins, oil ramp-up challenges, Middle East production politics | | 22:05 | Biden, oil markets, Trump’s record and plans for oil and energy dominance | | 24:26 | Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) critique, figures | | 30:03 | “Landman” segment: Oil dependency, critique of renewables | | 35:38 | Dr. Bradley Thayer: War termination, U.S. progress, Iran’s possible responses | | 38:54 | Breaking News: Marines, USS Tripoli, warships moving to Middle East (major escalation) | | 41:25 | Bannon: Breakdown of why this military move matters, signals to allies and adversaries | | 45:15 | Dr. Thayer: Escalation, potential to seize territory, risk of widening the war | | 46:09 | Thayer: Prospects for war ending soon are slim, “weeks at least” |

Conclusion: Where Does It Go from Here?

• The panel concludes that, despite the successful physical degradation of Iran’s military, true resolution is likely distant as Iran can continue asymmetrical and proxy attacks, and may refuse to capitulate. The new Marine deployment is treated as an unmistakable escalation with substantial risks—one that could broaden the war or force a deal, depending on Iran’s response.
• Economic pain from war-driven oil shocks is predicted to be sharp and persistent, with inflation and energy policy sure to dominate the U.S. political conversation.
• The War Room promises continued coverage, with special weekend episodes in anticipation of further developments.

For more:

• Eric Bolling: [@EricBolling on social media]
• Neil McCabe: [@reportermccabe]
• Dr. Bradley Thayer: [@DrBradThayer or @BradleyGetter]
• Further updates and analysis at warroom.org

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