WarRoom Battleground EP 848: The Continued Rise Of The Color Revolution

Podcast: Bannon’s War Room
Host: Steve Bannon
Date: September 12, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Steve Bannon and guests dive into the concept of an ongoing “color revolution” targeting the United States, driven allegedly by state actors within the FBI, CIA, and leftist organizations such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter. The conversation is sparked by the recent assassination of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which the panel sees as a watershed moment in escalating political violence. Through personal anecdotes, historical parallels, and calls for decisive action, the guests argue for the urgent need to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and to clamp down on radical influence in higher education.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Rhetoric & Framing the Stakes

• Bannon introduces the episode as a "primal scream of a dying regime," positioning the War Room audience against a mainstream establishment he claims is in decline.
  • Quote: "Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people. ... The people have had a belly full of it." (00:17, Steve Bannon)
• Emphasis on “task and purpose” as saving the country; unity is rejected as tantamount to surrender.
  • Quote: "No, ma’am, we don't need unity. Unity is surrender. ... It’s that cussedness and that grit and that determination is what made this country." (04:25, Steve Bannon)

2. The ‘Color Revolution’ Analogy

• Bannon and Dr. Bradley Thayer articulate a narrative that paints current unrest as a “color revolution” akin to foreign regime-change operations.
• Bannon references the transformation of the Tea Party into the MAGA movement and the strategic political victory of Dave Brat as a model for grassroots disruption.

3. The Role of Antifa: Testimony by Taj Gill

• Former Navy SEAL Taj Gill recounts several high-intensity security assignments at left-leaning college events, describing Antifa as overwhelmingly violent and unchecked by local authorities.
  • Key incidents described (07:44–14:14):
    • UC Davis: Event canceled due to Antifa violence.
    • University of Washington: Antifa threatens violence; shootings and stabbings occur.
    • UC Berkeley: Attacks with fireworks, occupying parts of buildings, arson in parking garages.
  • Quote: “They have free reign of the area because the political environment, the mayors are liberal … They let the antifa terrorize the entire towns. They do whatever they want.” (13:31, Taj Gill)
• Gill calls for Antifa to be formally designated as a domestic terrorist organization, drawing a parallel between Antifa/BLM and radical Islam in terms of tactics and recruitment.

4. Delegitimizing Antifa and Asserting State Power

• Bannon and Gill claim Antifa is inherently weak and would “fold like a cheap knife” if robust state power were used against it.
  • Quote: “These guys are, these guys will fold like a cheap knife … these are those guys. They are weak.” (15:17, Taj Gill)
• College professors are accused of radicalizing students and even allegedly participating with Antifa.

5. Theoretical and Historical Context: Dr. Bradley Thayer

• Dr. Thayer defines terrorism and draws analogies between Antifa and the “muscle” or “shock troops” of past authoritarian movements: Nazi brownshirts, Bolshevik Red Guards, etc.
  • Quote: “Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization because it does precisely that: targeting American civilians in pursuit of their ideological goals, which are communism at root.” (17:04, Dr. Bradley Thayer)
• Cites organizational structure, recruitment, and plausible deniability as key traits.
• Connects foreign influence to domestic unrest: alleges funding links to George Soros, Arabella, Tides, ActBlue, and the CCP.
  • Quote: “There are a lot of ties to the Chinese Communist Party and other international actors who are seeking to use this organization...” (22:54, Dr. Bradley Thayer)

6. Portland Case Study: Don Powers

• News montage highlights lawlessness, police inaction, and business flight in Portland due to ongoing Antifa protests and violence.
• Don Powers, chair of the Oregon GOP’s 6th Congressional District, describes local helplessness and the systemic lack of consequences for Antifa violence.
  • Quote: “The Siege on that ice building has been going on for three months. ... They say that the ICE agents are Nazi Gestapo and need to be killed.” (35:29, Don Powers)
• Argues for a broader definition of "organization" to capture Antifa’s coordination, citing their use of communications, logistics, and clandestine structure.
• Raises the issue of election integrity and mail-in voting, asserting that “we the people need to rise up and put a stop to this.”
  • Quote: "You just saw in that report how many businesses have left, how many people have been attacked? ... It’s disgusting." (37:46, Don Powers)

7. Next Steps and Calls to Action

• Taj Gill, given a hypothetical three minutes with President Trump, urges immediate designation of Antifa as a terrorist group and stripping funding from “anti-American” colleges.
  • Quote: “It's imperative to the country. I mean, look, they just killed one of our heroes… Antifa was able to radicalize this kid in Utah online and this kid went out and murdered somebody.” (45:31, Taj Gill)
• Repeated emphasis that “we are the cavalry”—change requires grassroots action, not waiting for external rescue.
• Encouragement to support conservative business ventures such as Warpath Coffee (promoted by Taj Gill).

8. Memorable Moments & Emotional Appeals

• Bannon’s reflections on Charlie Kirk as a “gentle soul” and the symbolic weight of his killing for the movement.
• Frequent use of historical references (Boston Harbor, Red Guard, SA) to analogize current events.
• Concluding with a scene from “The Untouchables” to stress resolve and the need for political will.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people.”
  (00:17, Steve Bannon)

• "No, ma’am, we don't need unity. Unity is surrender. ... We owe them to fight for this to our last breath."
  (04:25, Steve Bannon)

• “They need to be designated as a domestic terrorist organization, 100%, full stop. No doubt.”
  (13:31, Taj Gill)

• "These are the guys you, they, they get you going and then you punch them in the face, and then they want you to get arrested. These are those guys. They are weak."
  (15:17, Taj Gill)

• “Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization because it does precisely that: targeting American civilians in pursuit of their ideological goals, which are communism at root.”
  (17:04, Dr. Bradley Thayer)

• “There are a lot of ties to the Chinese Communist Party and other international actors who are seeking to use this organization...”
  (22:54, Dr. Bradley Thayer)

• "They say that the ICE agents are Nazi Gestapo and need to be killed.”
  (35:29, Don Powers)

• "You just saw in that report how many businesses have left, how many people have been attacked? ... It’s disgusting."
  (37:46, Don Powers)

• "It's imperative to the country. ... Antifa was able to radicalize this kid in Utah online and this kid went out and murdered somebody."
  (45:31, Taj Gill)

• “We are the cavalry. Don’t be a homesteader waiting for the cavalry to arrive. You are the cavalry.”
  (42:36, Steve Bannon)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:17–04:25: Bannon’s opening monologue and framing the stakes
• 07:44–14:14: Taj Gill’s first-hand accounts of Antifa activity
• 17:04–21:14: Dr. Thayer’s theoretical framework defining Antifa as terrorism
• 32:00–34:03: Portland reportage and evidence of lawlessness
• 35:29–40:05: Don Powers on Portland events, response, and public sentiment
• 45:31–47:10: Taj Gill’s message for Trump and next steps
• 50:34–51:17: The Untouchables movie scene, used as a metaphor for resolve

Tone

Confrontational, urgent, and combative, the discussion is marked by analogies to wartime, revolutionary struggle, and historical authoritarian movements. There’s a heavy appeal to patriotism, defiance, and the need for grassroots mobilization. The speakers are skeptical of mainstream narratives and frequently call for uncompromising action.

Summary

This episode presents the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination as evidence of a violent, organized left-wing “color revolution” threatening the constitutional order in the United States. Bannon, with guests from military (Taj Gill), academic (Dr. Thayer), and GOP activist (Don Powers) backgrounds, calls for the urgent designation of Antifa as a terrorist group and a clampdown on radicalism in higher education and left-leaning urban areas. There is a strong emphasis on self-reliance, grassroots activism, and the rejection of calls for unity, which are framed as veiled capitulation to authoritarianism.

For listeners and non-listeners alike, this episode serves as a rallying cry for the War Room audience, blending dramatic personal stories, ideological analysis, and impassioned calls to action designed to escalate the sense of crisis and the appetite for sweeping political and institutional change.