WarRoom Battleground EP 923: Harnwell One On One With Austrian Lobbyist Gunther Fehlinger And John Rudat, Knifed In The Face In Germany

Summary

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Bannon’s War Room Battleground 923

“Harnwell One On One With Austrian Lobbyist Gunther Fellinger And John Rudat, Knifed In The Face In Germany”

Date: January 10, 2026
Host: Steve Bannon (with guest host Harnwell)
Guests: Gunther Fellinger (Austrian Committee for NATO Enlargement), John Rudat (American victim of knife attack in Germany)

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Episode Overview

The episode features two segments with international resonance. First, Steve Bannon and guest host Harnwell interview Austrian lobbyist Gunther Fellinger in a combative, free-wheeling discussion about U.S.-Europe relations, the future of NATO, and the controversial notion of America seizing Greenland. Fellinger’s forceful Atlanticist perspective sparks a lively debate about European sovereignty and defense.

In the second half, American expat John Rudat recounts a brutal knife attack he suffered while intervening to protect women from harassment by migrants in Dresden, Germany, exploring media suppression and the chilling effect on German society. His personal story highlights crime, integration, and censorship issues in contemporary Europe.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Gunther Fellinger: NATO, Austria, and the “Greenland Hypothesis”

(00:55–29:00)

Background and Political Position

• Fellinger chairs the Austrian Committee for NATO Enlargement and is a self-described “leading Austrian pro-American.”
• He lobbies for Austria (traditionally neutral) to join NATO, inspired by Sweden and Finland’s 2022 decisions post-Ukraine invasion.

The ‘Greenland’ Debate

• Fellinger’s provocative social media statement: If Trump tries to “take Greenland,” Europeans should cancel U.S. military base agreements across Europe.
  • Quote: “Every single base of the Americans, from Aviano to Ramstein… will be confiscated and you will lose it… If you take Greenland, you have to leave.” (03:12–03:55)
• He clarifies: Austria actually hosts no U.S. bases, but other European nations do. The “seizure” would be legal (via revoking SOFAs), not military.

EU-U.S. Tensions & Atlanticism

• Bannon pushes Fellinger on how Europe can both depend on U.S. power and threaten to “kick out” the U.S. over Greenland.
  • Fellinger insists: There’s no contradiction in comrades quarrelling but keeping Russia as the enemy.
• He criticizes what he sees as U.S. attempts at humiliation:
  • Quote: “We are not servants… We are proud Europeans. We have our pride… and we can defend ourselves if somebody attacks us.” (15:46)
• The real enemy is always Russia, according to Fellinger, even if U.S. actions provoke European outrage.

European Defense, Flat Tax, and Migration

• Fellinger supports a NATO with greater European (specifically Austrian) financial and human commitment, arguing for tax reform to fund security.
  • Quote: “We attract the whole world because we have such a generous subsidy system. That’s not good. We must cut debt and reduce welfare spending and cut taxes… then we can afford also increase of security related defence spending.” (18:32)
• On migration, Fellinger controversially distinguishes between punishing “enemies”—naming Tucker Carlson specifically—and accepting peaceful migrants.
  • Quote: “If somebody has committed a crime of treason, like Tucker Carlson… They are like parasites living in our jurisdiction. They must go. Goodbye, Tucker Carlson.” (22:14)

Challenge on Europe’s Stance

• Bannon remains skeptical of Fellinger’s “Atlanticism,” pressing for clarity about EPP (European People’s Party) stances and the apparent contradiction of supporting both the U.S. and anti-U.S. rhetoric.

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2. John Rudat: Crime, Migration, and Social Censorship in Modern Germany

(31:01–51:22)

Recounting the Knife Attack

• Rudat describes intervening to protect a woman from harassment and physical assault on a Dresden tram, being attacked and severely cut by a Syrian illegal migrant.
  • Quote: “That knife slit my eyelid… went into my nose, went down inside my mouth and out came around here… One millimeter more and that would have taken my eye.” (31:08)
• He recalls German bystanders observing passively, some even smiling, reflecting a societal climate of fear and inertia.
  • Quote: “They were sitting down and watching… Nothing. Even after the incident, when my face was open, bloody… some people in the video, some German citizens smiling as this went down, as this was something funny.” (34:50)

The German Media & Social Stigma

• Rudat notes mainstream German media downplaying migrant crime unless foreigners like him are involved. After his engagement with AfD (the right-wing Alternative for Deutschland party), he was labeled a “racist and fascist.”
  • Quote: “The media originally… switched up and called me a racist and a fascist and a Nazi, not understanding what’s really going on in Germany, when just a few months prior they were singing my praise.” (36:55)

Societal Impact and Chilling Effects

• Describes a social climate where Germans are afraid to speak honestly about crime or migration:
  • “Everybody that reached out to me was positive… but they feel afraid to even support this publicly… that they feel afraid to even advocate for this brighter future in Germany.” (44:14)
• At the time of recording, Rudat says the alleged attacker, likely a minor, will likely face minimal legal consequences (“six months, a year in jail, maybe”).

Modeling Career, Censorship, and New Initiatives

• His modeling career ended not due to his physical scars but because of his perceived political stance.
  • “Brands reach out to me… then just a few days later withdraw their statements… after my interviews with some conservative media outlets…” (41:06)
• In response, Rudat launched his own clothing brand “Kosos” to give exiled right-wing models and voices a platform.
  • Quote: “My aim with Kosos… is to give the right wing models that have been exiled … that image here in Germany a voice because they don’t have it. It’s being taken away.” (42:54)
• He only became publicly political after the attack: “No, I kept my political views to myself until a Syrian national decided to slash me in the face. And now they will be public.” (45:30)

Judicial Process & Aftermath

• The attacker claimed to be a minor, forestalling harsher punishment. There’s little hope for substantial justice.
• Rudat’s reflections: deeply disappointed by both official German reactions and social apathy.

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Notable Quotes

• Gunther Fellinger (on U.S. bases and Greenland):

  “If you take Greenland, you have to leave… And we will do that without the US Nuclear shield, without the US troops in Europe, without the American bases. We will simply run these bases ourselves and we run your boys home into Chicago and Ohio. And goodbye.” (03:12–03:55)

• Steve Bannon (on Europe’s reliance on America):

  “So you don’t see any dissonance… threatening America with expulsion from NATO over an eventual seizing of Greenland, and the dependence on American military to face off Russia, on the other hand.” (10:42)

• Gunther Fellinger (on European resolve):

  “Don’t underestimate us. We are serious people. We have honor, we have pride… We will not go down without a fight.” (11:11)

• John Rudat (on the attack):

  “That knife slit my eyelid… One millimeter more and that would have taken my eye.” (31:08)

  “They were sitting down and watching… some German citizens smiling as this went down, as this was something funny.” (34:50)

• On German media backlash:

  “The media… called me a racist and a fascist and a Nazi, not understanding what’s really going on in Germany, when just a few months prior they were singing my praise.” (36:55)

• On the end of his modeling career:

  “Brands reach out to me… then just a few days later withdraw their statements… after my interviews with some conservative media outlets…” (41:06)

• On his political awakening:

  “I kept my political views to myself until a Syrian national decided to slash me in the face. And now they will be public.” (45:30)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:55 | Introduction of Gunther Fellinger, Austria & NATO debate | | 03:12 | Fellinger’s call to seize/cancel US bases if US takes Greenland | | 04:30 | Fellinger outlines pro-NATO/Atlanticist advocacy | | 10:42 | Bannon challenges European dependence/contradiction | | 18:32 | Migration, flat tax, and social spending debate | | 22:14 | Fellinger on treating “enemies” and stance on migration | | 31:08 | John Rudat recounts the knife attack in Dresden | | 34:50 | Rudat on bystander apathy on tram | | 36:55 | Rudat discusses German media vilification | | 41:06 | Loss of modeling career, start of clothing brand Kosos | | 45:30 | Rudat describes shift to political engagement | | 49:27 | Detailed account of attack moments |

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Tone and Style

• The episode was combative, unsparing, and candid—true to the War Room brand.
• Fellinger is forthright, polemical, and unapologetically pro-American and anti-Russian, but asserts strong European dignity.
• Rudat is matter-of-fact, visibly shaken but resolute, highlighting the chilling, silencing effect of violence and media bias in Germany.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode of War Room Battleground captures the growing cracks in the Western alliance: European resentment at perceived American overreach, the difficult necessity of transatlantic collaboration, and the profound internal challenges facing European societies—ranging from defense funding to migration and social censorship. Fellinger defends European honor and Atlanticism while Rudat offers a haunting, personal lens on Europe’s loss of security and civic courage amid rising violent crime and media suppression. Together, their appearances delineate the anxieties and divisions reshaping the U.S.-EU relationship and European identity itself.

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Transcript

[Steve Bannon]

This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people. You're just not going to free shot all these networks lying about the people. The people have had a belly full of it. I know you don't like hearing that. I know you try to do everything in the world to stop that, but you're not going to stop it. It's going to happen.

And where do people like that go.

To share the big lie?

[Gunther Fellinger]

MAGA Media I wish in my soul.

[Steve Bannon]

I wish that any of these people had a conscience. Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose? If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.

[Gunther Fellinger]

War Room here's your host, Stephen K. Banner.

[Steve Bannon]

Friday 9th of January, Anno Domini 2026. Harnwell here at the helm on Steve Bannon's War Room. Folks, we've made it through to Friday. It's the end of the week. We're all in one piece. Great show. Coming up for you this evening we've got Gunther Ferlinger Jahn, who is the chairman of the Austrian Committee for NATO Enlargement to discuss some of the things he's been saying. Gunther, welcome onto the show. Good evening to you. Thanks for coming on.

[Gunther Fellinger]

Thanks a lot. Thanks for the invitation just to say hello America.

[Steve Bannon]

No, no, no, no, no. You're most welcome just to give a few words of introduction about you. We'll talk about the Austrian Committee for NATO Enlargement in a moment. But your political background is the European People's Party, which is the centre right collective across the European Union. We criticize on the show quite a bit the EPP as we tend to favor the more nationalist right wing movements. I'm very grateful therefore that you stepped into the lion's den this evening. Your professional background is that you were the Secretary General of SME Europe, which is the main organization representing small, medium sized businesses to the European Union, which is obviously something that knowing a little bit about the European People's Party, especially in the German Austrian context, is politically taken very seriously. We've got you on the show this evening, Gunther, to discuss some of your comments that you've made on social media, specifically about your contention that if President Trump should take Greenland, then Austria should seize the the US Bases in Austria. First of all, we'll hear that you say that in your own words right now and then we'll come back and dig down on your thesis.

[Gunther Fellinger]

I just said very clearly that America should not touch our land and no to any kind of annexation of Greenland. And please, we will take all your bases in Europe if you do it. That's.

[Steve Bannon]

That's fine. We're going to play a quick video, however, as an introduction standby.

[Gunther Fellinger]

Every single base of the Americans, from Aviano to Ramstein, from Romania to all the other military bases will be confiscated and you will lose it. And the whole position of American power since World War II. If you take Greenland, you have to leave. It's very simple, Mrs. Miller. This is the leverage we have. You need the spaces for global power protection. You won't have it. And we can defend ourselves very well. And we will do that without the US Nuclear shield, without the US troops in Europe, without the American bases. We will simply run these bases ourselves and we run your boys home into Chicago and Ohio. And goodbye. If you go extreme, we go extreme as well. Be sure about it.

[Steve Bannon]

Well, see, normally on the show, Gunther, we have people who broadly agree with the general editorial thrust of. Of the war. And this is going to be a different type of show this evening. We're going to have some real differences of opinion. First off, perhaps you just say a little bit. We're going to dig down on what you're. What you said most recently, your most controversial, if I may thesis. But before that, just say a little bit about what the Austrian Committee on NATO Enlargement is, what it is that you stand for as chairman.

[Gunther Fellinger]

I'm the leading Austrian pro American, and I want Austria to join NATO. That's why I created this committee. And I want to enlarged and strong NATO where Ukraine, Kosovo, Bosnia and all the countries are members. And we want to have a strong united Europe. We want to defeat Russia, liberate Ukraine. And we want actually to be very friendly with the United States and to help us and to be united together with the United States in the victory of the free world.

[Steve Bannon]

Of course, Austria is famously neutral. How does this go down, this view in your native Austria?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Look, Austria was liberated by the Americans and by the Soviet Union in 45. And we were divided and occupied for 10 years. Then we got our sovereignty. We had to accept by the will of the Soviet Union that this neutrality status. But it's no longer valid and we need to be in NATO. And the Americans would also benefit from Austria to be in NATO. And it's absolutely time for us to join NATO. It's not the majority in Austria at the moment, but I will change the public opinion. Same like in Sweden, same like in Finland and these two other neutral nations. They came to the wisdom to join NATO in 2022, because of the Russian war against Ukraine. And all of us and Austria will come as well to the Wisdom and join NATO.

[Steve Bannon]

Austria has about 20,000 troops, I think, in uniform at any one time. America has, I think, a million troops in uniform at any one time. How exactly do you propose to seize, via force, the US bases in Austria?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Look, there are no American bases in Austria. The American bases from World War II are in Italy, in Germany, in Turkey, in Norway and in several other countries. So we will not seize by military means any of the bases of the Americans because you are our friends and you will not seize Greenland because it's European territory. And we shall focus on winning the war against our enemies. Iran, Russia, Venezuela, North Korea, China, this is the normal thing. But if you do it, we definitely will cancel the Status of forces agreements which you have with Germany, with Italy, with all the host nations of your military bases since the Second World War. You have disagreements and, and we can question them. And don't underestimate our resolve in Europe. We will not cave in to this outrageous and unjustified demand to get our territory because you are very welcome to base as many troops as you want in Greenland. You can invest in Greenland as much money as you want. But to humiliate us and to insist on, on a transfer of the land to the America is a completely outrageous thing to say. And so you shall not do that.

[Steve Bannon]

So just to be precise, that when you said that, that, that Austria should seize by force, if necessary, US bases, you weren't literally saying that Austria should be doing this is more your. Your European coalition, your European military partners. That's fine. What I want to ask you is basically on the very day, I think about three days ago, on the very day that Ursula von der Leyen, again your political family, the epp, the President of the European Commission, was laying down to America the unacceptability of America taking Greenland. You had the curious site in Paris, which, with President Macron, and you had the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer and what have you, along with the two envoys, US envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, they were there underlining the absolute essential role of America in the European position, pretending pretty protecting Ukraine from Russia. How do you can you say a little bit about how you juxtapose the idea that NATO could survive without America on the one hand, and on the other hand, the absolute essential role of America in helping to police the eventual ceasefire in Ukraine?

[Gunther Fellinger]

There will be no ceasefire in Ukraine because this is all humbug. Russia wants war and Russia must be defeated. And only once Putin is dead and dusted, we will have peace in Ukraine. So ultimately, this is all a waste of time, the negotiations. So it's very clear. NATO is about European freedom, European security, and America has guaranteed that and will guarantee that forever. Because it's in your interest, it's in your interest to have stability here. Because as you know very well, in the first and Second World War, you had to bring millions of soldiers in order to sort out European failures, and you don't want to do that. NATO brings stability, security, and it's a very, very good investment for American taxpayers to have that. But you're already spending close to a trillion of dollars every year on your military budget. And, and so why not help us to win this war and kick the Russians out of Ukraine? Because they shouldn't have nothing to do there. And it was the weakness of your President Obama, who allowed them, actually did nothing to push back in 2014. If you would have a decent president, he would have contained the Russians back then and we would not have all this mess and all this death and all this bloodshed. So what we need to do, stand together, win the war, and liberate Ukraine.

[Steve Bannon]

So you don't see any dissonance on the one hand of threatening America with expulsion from NATO over an eventual seizing of Greenland, on the one hand, and the dependence on American military to face off Russia, on the other hand. You don't see any dissonance in those two positions, holding those two positions at the same moment in time.

[Gunther Fellinger]

Look, we are like neighbors and friends. We are like a family. But you don't come and with us. Yeah, you don't get this. Greenland, yeah, it's not yours. You can base your troops there. You can have the minerals if you invest in it. It's very expensive, by the way. But you cannot take other people's land in which American city you can take the how house of your neighbor by force. Is this the new standards? You cannot do that. The Greenlanders don't want it, the Danish don't want it, and we Europeans don't want it. And it's a completely ridiculous idea to do it. You remember Zimmerman when he proposed Mexico to attack? This is a harebrained scheme. You cannot do that. And whoever has invented this debate and is really trying to harm NATO, America and Europe and should be banned from social media. This is my response. And if you do it, don't underestimate us. We are serious people. We have honor, we have pride, we have patriotism. We are Europeans. We will not go down without a fight.

[Steve Bannon]

With 22,000 uniformed troops.

[Gunther Fellinger]

It'S not the Austrians who will defend Greenland. It's first of all, the Greenlanders. Secondly, it will be the Danish. And thirdly, it will be all Europeans and we will not fight the U.S. navy. If you really have the indecency to invade Greenland, nobody will oppose you, you can go. But we will take your military basis. We will cancel all your status of forces agreement and you will be in an airplane back home from Aviano and Ramstein and goodbye America.

[Steve Bannon]

This is the. This is the royal we, Gunter. This is the. When you say we will do this, it's Italy and France rather than Austria. So that's fine. We're gonna back with you in just one quick moment. I want to give a quick shout out to one of the show's sponsors, Birchgold. Let me be blunt. Gold is up around 40% this year. That's not speculation, that's reality. And if a portion of your savings isn't diversified into gold, you're missing the boat. Here are the facts. Inflation is still too high, the US Dollar is still too weak and the government debt is insurmountable. This is why central banks are flocking to gold. They're the ones driving prices up to record highs. But it's not too late to buy gold from Birch Gold Group and get in the door. Now, Birch Gold will help you convert an existing IRA or 401k into a tax sheltered IRA. In gold, you don't pay a dime out of pocket. Plus from now until January 30th, when you complete a purchase with Birch Gold, they'll send you a copy of the exclusive Patriots edition End of the Dollar Empire. It's a limited edition book for free. So if you want that Patriots Edition End of the Dollar empire, go to birchgold.com that's all one word. Birchgold. Birchgold.com Bannon now to claim your eligibility. That's birchgold.com Bannon. Okay, back now to Gunter Fellinger. Yarn Gunter. So I admire your tenacity on holding this position, if you forgive me. I really just must, however, insist on this point. There are other things I want to ask you this evening, but I must just hold you on this point. What moral authority does the European Union have? Does Ursula von der Leyen have? Does the European People's Party have? What mole authority do you guys have to say this to the United States regarding Greenland? And yet at exactly the same time in split screen, are absolutely essentially standing next to America in Defense of Ukraine and in Paris this week, Sir, I don't understand how if you feel, and many people do, in the European People's Party, if you feel so strongly against the potential American seizure of Greenland, why are you standing side by side with America proudly in Paris to defend Ukraine against Russia?

[Gunther Fellinger]

I have 30 years of public record to be the most pro American voice in the European theater. I've been standing with America at 9, 11. I've been standing with America in Iraq. I was one of the last ones or the only one in European politics who has defended the Iraq liberation of George W. Bush. And I stand today to say that this was a rightful liberation. I stood with you in Kosovo and Bosnia and I will always stand with America. But you know what is too much is too much if you then start to attack us and take our land. I mean, we are not servants or not kind of pushovers. We are proud Europeans. We have our pride and we have our history and we have our place. We are also a strong economy and we can defend ourselves if somebody attacks us. And even if by some confusion of the American president, he suddenly wants our land where he can lease it, he wants to take it militarily, this is completely unacceptable. And nobody with proud and decency would accept to submit to such nonsense. And this will simply not happen because we will not allow it.

[Steve Bannon]

I just want to clarify, you are quite famously known to be an Atlanticist. Okay, that's not in doubt. And I'm not accusing you of anti Americanism. However, especially on this show, the term Atlanticist is seen as a pejorative because it's fundamentally. Absolutely. It's fundamentally seen. Now this is the problem with the European People's Party. It's fundamentally seen. Atlanticism is fundamentally seen as center right in name political groupings who are sort of rather too close to the American military industrial complex, which obviously huge swathes of MAGA and the America first movement are very skeptical about. So I just want to make that point. No one's accusing you here of anti Americanism, but it's your famous Atlanticism here, which is. Which is what makes us somewhat skeptic. Point 1. The second point I want to ask, in your advocating, you're agitating to get famously neutral Austria into NATO. Are you having an honest conversation with your fellow Austrians about the increases in taxes they will have to pay to shoulder the extra defense burden that will legitimately then fall on their sort of. On their. As their responsibility?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Yes. You know, I'm famous for also advocating the flat tax for Austria and For the United States, by the way, as well. So I advocate for 15% taxation, income and corporate. And of course we have to reduce the welfare state and all this migration inducing kind of social spending which Austria loves, this has to reduce. Absolutely. It's too much. We attract the whole world because we have such a generous subsidy system. That's not good. We must cut debt and we must reduce welfare spending and we must cut taxes and then we can definitely afford also increase of security related defence spending. And we shall. Because why should only the Germans, Italians and Polish and Hungarians pay for our defense and Ukrainians pay with their blood. We must also contribute financially. We are a rich nation. We have $55,000 of GDP per capita. We are one of the 10 richest nations. So we can afford our defence spending and we shall.

[Steve Bannon]

Can you tell me which country you think of if President Trump were to seize Greenland? For from your perspective, which country represents the greater threat to the European Union, America or Russia?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Russia is the enemy, you know. Russia is our eternal enemy. We don't like Putin. He has attacked us. He's evil and he's a genocidal maniac. And it's our common enemy of America and Europe and of everybody who is decent. So America will never be our enemy. We, we will still love you. But if you take Greenland, you will have a price to pay. What is the price? We will not shoot at your navy. We don't even have the military assets and we will never shoot at America. You can go take Greenland. The price is Ramstein, Aviano and the other bases. You need these bases. But if you prefer to have it in Greenland, good luck with that one. It's your choice. But you will never fly from Frankfurt to Ramstein anymore. You will never have Aviano. And if you think about it, Naples in Italy, where your sixth fleet is based, will also not be yours. And we have several other less famous bases in Romania, for example, where America has considerable investments and you will never have access to them anymore. And it will be a completely legal process. It will be not a military thing. We will not shoot anybody. We are friends, we are your allies, but we simply legally will kick you out.

[Steve Bannon]

I just wanted to underline the fact then that should America seize Greenland, you will still continue to believe Russia is the principal enemy to continental Europe. By the way, on the flat tax point, I couldn't agree with you more. I'm very much in favor of a flat tax and if you can get it down to 15%, I think that would be excellent. Now, you mentioned the migration issue in Austria, which is obviously quite politically sensitive. You said a couple of things on remigration or what we, which is the term in Europe, what we tend to call in the Anglosphere repatriation. Now, you said on the one hand you support re migration of enemies, but on the other hand you say that remigration is racism. Firstly, about the latter point, first, tell me what did you mean when you said that re migration is racist?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Look, I think that we should forcefully send out of our jurisdiction only our enemies. So if somebody has committed serious crimes, if somebody has committed a crime of treason, like Tucker Carlson and these people, we should forcefully send them out of our jurisdiction. They are like parasites living in our jurisdiction. They must go. Goodbye, Tucker Carlson. But if somebody is a peaceful migrant who just wants here to work and to make a little bit of income from Mexico, in your case, or from, let's say, Syria in Austria, I have nothing against people who want to work and have a normal life here. Why not let them stay?

[Steve Bannon]

So the mainstream center right European political position is Tucker Carlson is a traitor. Yeah. Okay.

[Gunther Fellinger]

I think everybody thinks like that. I mean.

[Steve Bannon]

Personally, I, I don't know anybody who, who thinks that I would support, I would start the re migration program in a very different direction. But you have said you think that the Putinistas need to be sent to Putin in Russia.

[Gunther Fellinger]

Yes, that's a very good idea. I'm totally in favor. Everybody who is probably, we send him to Russia immediately. We send them on the cattle wagons, in the airplanes off to Russia. Everybody who loves Putin sent him directly to Russia and we see how long it takes. Three months, four months, two weeks until they cry. Please, European Union, can we be back? We don't like Russia so much. And then we give them five months probation. No, that's very good.

[Steve Bannon]

I think that's never going to happen. Okay. Because therefore, the huge absorption of massive numbers of Islamic, what we call invaders on the show, we don't call them migrants. We call asylum seekers. We call them invaders. So you have nothing to say, the center right European, supposedly Christian Democratic political sphere, has nothing to say about the invasion of third Islamic third world invaders into Austria. But Tucker Carlson, right, he, he's, he's not allowed. He's got to go.

[Gunther Fellinger]

He's got to go. Absolutely. And when it comes to the invasion, we in Austria have a lot of experience with real invasion from Islamic countries. And because we had several times the Turkish army, the Ottoman army in front of Vienna and we were always able to kick them back successfully in the 16th century in the 18th century and we did so. So we know exactly how that works and we have done it. Thank you very much. Today's poor migrants, when they come even from a Muslim background, who are desperate because Putin has waged a war against them in Syria and he has barrel bombed Aleppo and then they had to run away because Obama was so weak. Obama did all this disaster and the American power was too weak to intervene in Syria.

[Steve Bannon]

I don't think Jack Posobic would allow your last statement to pass. I think, I think it was the polls, I think it was the polls who lifted the siege of Vienna, Jani Sobieski. It was the Polish king rather than the Austrians themselves. But I very much admire your fighting spirit. Well, I very much admire your fighting spirit. I wish only it was directed in a certain different direction. Like I'm very grateful for you coming on the show. This isn't your natural political home to come in and share these views. Grateful that you, in the time we had offered to put them under, under a gentle probe ring on social media, which I say you're very active. Where do people go to bombard you with opposition?

[Gunther Fellinger]

I have this X account, Gunther Fellinger and also the YouTube page, Gunther Fellinger podcast. You're very welcome.

[Steve Bannon]

Gunther Ferlinger Yarn. Very, very grateful that you spent the time to come on the show now. Staying and do come back soon. Staying on the theme because Gunter mentioned the Syrian invasion question. Stay with us after the break. We have an American hero coming up on the show in just two minutes.

Strategic intelligence. You'll hear directly from Jim and receive critical updates on major financial and political events before they hit the mainstream news. He'll put you in front of the story and tell you exactly what moves to make for your best chance to profit as a proud American, you do not want to be caught off guard. Sign up for strategic intelligence right now at our exclusive website. That's rickardswarroom.com Rickards war room.com you go there, you get strategic intelligence based upon predictive analytics. Do it today, right now. Rickards war room.com holidays are here. And while the rest of the world follows the script written by big Pharma, real Americans are taking control of their own health. You do not need permission from a corporate medical machine to care for yourself. That is where all family pharmacy comes in. It is simple. Go to allfamilypharmacy.com Bannon. That is one word. Allfamilypharmacy.com Place your order online and a licensed physician reviews it. Once approved, your medication is shipped directly to your home. Whether it's ivermectin, antibiotics or your everyday medications, they have you covered. Everything is handled quickly, privately and securely. This holiday season, don't let big Pharma or the government tell you how to stay healthy. Visit allfamilypharmacy.com Bannon and save 10% with code BANNON10. Take control of your health, Stay independent, stay free and stay healthy. Do you owe back taxes or haven't filled in years? Now is the time to resolve your tax matters when the national conversation around abolishing the income tax system. The IRS is fighting back and proving it's here to stay by becoming more aggressive than ever before. They're sending out more collection notices, filing more tax liens and collecting billions more than in recent years. If you owe, the IRS can garnish your wages, levy your bank accounts, seize your retirement, even your home if you owe or haven't filed. It's not a question of the IRS will act, it's when the IRS will act now. Right now, Tax Network USA is offering a completely free IRS Research and Discovery call to show you exactly where you stand and what they can stop before it's too late. Their powerful programs and strategies can save you thousands or even eliminate your debt entirely if you qualify. Don't make a costly mistake representing yourself or calling the IRS on your own waives your rights and cost you more money. They are not on your side. The IRS is there to get as much money as possible, not to help you out. Get protected the right way with Tax Network USA and start the process on settling your tax matters once and for all beginning today. Call 800-958-1000. That's 1-800-958-1000 or visit Tax Network USA.com that's tnusa.com Bannon for your free discovery call with Tax Network tnsusa.com Bannon for your Free Discovery call or call 1-800-958- 1000. That's 1-800- 958-1000. Don't let the IRS make the first move. Act today.

[John Rudat]

Phil America's Voice Family Are you on Getter yet?

[Gunther Fellinger]

No.

[John Rudat]

What are you waiting for? It's free, it's uncensored, and it's where.

[Steve Bannon]

All the biggest voices in conservative media are speaking out.

Download the Getter app right now. It's totally free. It's where I put up exclusively all of my content 24 hours a day. Want to know what Steve Steve Bannon's thinking?

[Gunther Fellinger]

Go together. That's right.

[Steve Bannon]

You can follow all of your favorite Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, Jack Posobi and so many more.

[John Rudat]

Download the Getter app now. Sign up for free and be part of the movement. That knife slit my eyelid. It slit my eyelid right here. It slit my eyelid, went into my nose, went down inside my mouth and out came around here kind of thing. This particular incident has drawn significant international attention. Even the renowned New York Post has extensively reported on it. The young American man was brutally assaulted and gravely injured with a knife while riding a tram in Dresden. One millimeter more and that would have taken my eye. It would have been a very different situation. The 21 year old wanted to help a group of women who were being harassed by several migrants.

[Steve Bannon]

Okay.

[John Rudat]

And that's when you intervene. That's when you try to make a change. And her demeanor was very like, don't, don't, please. Okay. It's okay. Don't make it any worse kind of thing. I'm like, I'm gonna help you. And the other woman was also. One, scared two didn't know what was going on. Nobody really did. It had it happened so fast that it got out of anybody's hands.

[Steve Bannon]

Welcome back. Well, I want to thank Vadim Dirksen, a great friend of the war room. He's been on many times for giving us permission to use that short clip of the, the interview he did with John Rudat, the American hero of Dresden who had his face slashed, intervening to protect some young girls on the public transport. John joins us this evening. John, welcome on to the show. I have to say there aren't many guys who've been on the show who double up both as a paramedic and as a model. But in the model, you know, famously, because this has had a huge resonance in continental Europe. And we're going to dig into this in the show now. But your, your modeling career was cut short almost as quickly as it began because of the horrific scar right across your face. Just tell us a little bit, if you, if you wouldn't mind, what happened on that night on that evening.

[John Rudat]

Of course. So on August 23, I was going out with my host brother and a close friend of mine. It was my first night in Dresden really, from getting back from a recent trip in Zurich, Switzerland. We went out, we're going to a few venues and we got on the tram from one to another and that's when it all went down. A lady behind me was sitting there alone and a man approached aggressively, shouting, yelling at her. Being, being like physically verbally aggressive. I stood up originally and asked, hey man, what's going on? Like, stop, stop, stop. She was looking scared. She was like, no, no, it's okay, you can sit back down, everything's fine. And in the back of my mind I'm like, no, it's not fine. Guy went the other way, lady sat back down. I sat back down as well. And then just moments later, he came back, she stood up, punched her right in the face, grabbed her, threw her down in the corner. That's when I stood up, had a short altercation with him. And unbeknownst to me from my right, another migrant had come up from the side and was waiting for the ripe opportunity to slash me in the face. And he did.

[Steve Bannon]

Now, when you said a migrant before, and I've listened to a couple of the interviews that you've given, these two guys were Syrians, weren't they? They weren't legally present in Germany, right?

[John Rudat]

No, they were both illegal immigrants from Syria.

[Steve Bannon]

Tell me, this tram that you were on, who else stepped in? So obviously you as an American immediately sees danger and steps in to help these, these girls, these young ladies, what were the native Germans doing?

[John Rudat]

They were sitting down and watching, just watching. Nothing, Nothing. Even after the incident, even when my face was open, bloody and pouring out on the floors of the tram, they were sitting down. And it actually troubled me a little bit rewatching this video, wondering how it all went down, how it happened so quickly. And I couldn't help but notice even some people in the video, some German citizens smiling as this went down, as this was something funny. And it shocks me. But at the same time this is very, very evident to what's become almost socially acceptable, socially normal here in Germany. These kind of attacks happen left and right. Even the host brother that I went out with that night had a friend that had the previous year been killed from a knife attack.

[Steve Bannon]

Wow, you yourself, you're no stranger to Germany. You've been, you, you were living in Dresden for, for about a year, right? What's your perception of the violence, the immigration based violence in Germany? Do you think that the, the media is truly reporting the, the nature of this? Because here's my instinct and this is what I would like to see if you confirm. For me, my instinct is, as I say, your story particularly had huge resonance. But if you had been German and not American, and these kind of things happen every day and the press really, the mainstream press really doesn't like to touch it, the fact that you are American, the Fact that you are doing something so typically American, which is stepping in to help someone who was vulnerable, quintessentially American, if I might sort of put it like that. I think that that sort of meant that even the mainstream media wasn't able to suppress this. Someone with experience in Germany. Tell me what it's like there. Is it as bad as Americans at home are seeing and hearing through inform normal channels?

[John Rudat]

Yes, it's very bad. And the mainstream media will do anything to not address these problems in this epidemic in Germany. They'll sidestep it, they'll push it to the side. Even me, after intervening in this case when I recently went and visited the AfD thanks to them in parliament. In the parliament in Germany, the media originally just there switched up and called me a racist and a fascist and a Nazi, not understanding what's really going on in Germany, when just a few months prior they were singing my praise when I stepped in to defend that woman. Germans here don't feel like they can speak, don't feel like they can connect with the AfD because they'll be labeled as exactly that right wing fascist Nazi just because. And it's absolutely abhorrent that the mainstream media are attacking the own civilians this way too, to the point that they feel like they can't do anything where if they were to stand up, nobody would hear about it. They push it by the wayside like they have done with all these other cases. And it's so sad. Us in the USA see this happening and as Americans, we step in, when we see something like that occurring, we stop that. Because that's not American, that's not European, that's not Western right there. But in Germany, it's slowly becoming the norm.

[Steve Bannon]

You mentioned some of the criticisms and accusations made against you personally of being right wing and all the rest of it for simply highlighting what had happened to you. Simply highlighting having your face slashed as you were protecting a couple of vulnerable girls. You're not from. You're from a progressive household though, right? Your parents were both progressive. They brought you up as a progressive. Though I think you're now sort of slightly more open. Tell me about your current political inclinations and whether your experience in Dresden has changed.

[John Rudat]

Originally, as you said before, I was raised in a progressive household. My mother worked in very democratic agencies. My father was more on the middle of the political spectrum, serving in the military for 20 years. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and many more. I was raised in a diversified environment, not only of, you know, sites, but of opinions. The most important thing the diversification of ideas. And that's something that they're even clamping down here in Germany now. But it provided me with an opportunity and a new way to look at the global affairs that are going on here, specifically in Germany. But this is an epidemic in the EU at large. And honestly, the solution really needs to be circumferential in order for the problem to get away. You know, Germany is just a symptom. This is really just a symptom at the end of the day, and I'd like to see it fixed.

[Steve Bannon]

Back with John Rudat, American hero of Dresden in just a quick moment, what if you had the brightest mind in the War Room delivering critical financial research every month? War Room listeners know Jim Rickards as our wise man. A former CIA, Pentagon and White House advisor with an unmatched grasp of geopolitics and capital markets, Jim predicted Trump's electoral college victory exactly 312 to 226. Now he's issuing a dire warning about a moment that could define Trump's presidency and your financial future. His latest book, Many GPT, exposes how AI is setting the stage for financial chaos, bank runs at lightning speed, algorithm driven crashes, and even threats to national security. Right now, War Room members get a free copy of MoneyGPT when they sign up for Strategic Intelligence, Jim's flagship financial newsletter. Time is running out. Go to ricardswarroom.com now and claim your free book. That's ricardswarroom.com Ricards war room all one word ri c k a r d s regards warren.com okay, back to John Ruder. Now, John, to tell me a bit then about your modeling career. When it started, when it finished, what happened?

[John Rudat]

So my modeling career quintessentially started a month before this event and as you said and introduced with it, was cut short immediately, pretty much from the knife attack. But that wasn't the only reason. The other reason, the bigger reason actually is my political opinions. After this event, I had brands reach out to me right after it happened, right after the knife attack happened, and then just a few days later withdraw their statements and withdraw their invitations. Right after my interviews with some conservative media outlets and personalities here in Dresden and Germany went on air. And that just highlighted to me the discrepancy of underlying infested integrated in the German society, not only politically but culturally in media. And that's actually why, funnily enough, I started my own clothing brand to give people that have been victims of that bias a platform to still work.

[Steve Bannon]

Tell me a bit about that new project that you've launched. But I just want to underline here because when people heard that your modeling career was cut short because of the scar. No, when people hear that your modeling career was cut short, they think it's because of the knife attack, because of the scar. It's not. It's because of the political controversy arise that arose out of the context of the. The knifing.

[John Rudat]

Right, Exactly. Yep.

[Steve Bannon]

Okay. That's, that's a strange thing. That's, that's a strange thing. I think that will cause some dissonance in a lot of, a lot of people's minds. I won't ask you to name names, who the brands were, who disassociated with you. Just you mentioned it. Tell me a bit about the, this project then that you've launched subsequent to that experience, of course.

[John Rudat]

So I've started my own clothing brand called Kosos. And my aim with Kosos is to do a couple things. One of them is to give the right wing models that have been exiled, at least in the German sphere, possibly moving to the, you know, United States later if this really takes off and builds a good foundation here. But give those people, those personalities, those, those, that image here in Germany of voice because they don't have it. It's being taken away. The mainstream media is just shunting it down and it's terrible to see because we all know where this goes in. The Germans don't want to suffer in a place like that. So I'm trying to as well as, you know, come in the media space here, strong in Germany and advocate for that free German speech and German safety. As much as I am in the political and media fields, as much as I am in the fashion fields, just trying to send it home, man.

[Steve Bannon]

Well, you're very coherent and very persuasive. I'm sure the attention that has come to you, the media attention has come to you. You're going to be able to use that very convincingly to explain to people what's going on. Just tell me a little bit, if you wouldn't mind, about that political reaction, certainly in Germany. I know you met Alice Weidel, right, the leader of the AfD, the Alternative for Deutschland. Just tell me a bit about that and what the general political response in Germany has been to this incident.

[John Rudat]

Of course, now the Sebastian Mundmaier was graciously generous enough to invite me out for a day in the Reichstag and take me around, have some interviews, speak about the future of Germany, talk about how we may be able to work together to bring about a better, safer and stronger Germany in the future. And I was so excited for that and I had an amazing time. Alice Vedel, as you guys saw, but spend some time with me and took a picture, we spoke for a bit and then we went on our way. But the next next day when all this stuff aired, when all this stuff came out, when all this new information was presented to the public, there was still mixed reaction. But I'll tell you something, everybody that reached out to me was positive and everybody that reached out to me, whether it's on Instagram, social media, X personally, all said here in Germany that they feel afraid to even support this publicly, that they feel afraid to even advocate for this brighter future in Germany that the AfD now hold the majority popularity of. I believe it was 26.2% last time I checked and it's only rising. And I'm very excited to see what kind of change they can bring to Germany here, hopefully when they win this upcoming election.

[Steve Bannon]

Were you political at all before this incident?

[John Rudat]

No, I kept my political views to myself until a Syrian national decided to slash me in the face. And now they will be public.

[Steve Bannon]

Yeah, it is funny what it can take in terms of personal experiences to put the steel in the spine I've been through. I haven't been knifed in the face, but I have been through my own trial here in Italy fighting against the political establishment. Talking about trials, tell me a bit about what's happening now. They've caught the guy, right?

[John Rudat]

Yes. So the original guy that was assaulting and beating up that first woman was captured that night. He ran down to the next tram stop even though the tram that this was all conducted on obviously wasn't going anywhere because it was now a crime scene. The other one in the video dipped out, went to the left and we actually really don't know where he went because he led a five day police manhunt behind him, at which point he turned himself in and then yeah, they got the two guys there and it seemed over. But that was really the beginning of all this and the beginning of people speaking about it and advocating for themselves.

[Steve Bannon]

Tell me about the trial. When did it due to take place?

[John Rudat]

So we don't know yet. I got a message a few days ago from the police and it was public that the prosecution will take. I believe they're going to try to get the man that slashed me in the face with aggravated assault and he'll be tried as a minor. As far as the other guy, I Don't think he'll be getting anything.

[Steve Bannon]

So the guy who actually wielded the knife, and it was some kind of flick knife, right, he was, he was underaged?

[John Rudat]

I believe so. I thought he was 21.

[Steve Bannon]

He claims, he claims to be underaged. This is, of course, exactly what happens. And there's no date for the trial. Tell me. Aggravated assault. That doesn't sound particularly serious.

[John Rudat]

No, it doesn't. No, it doesn't at all. But that's the norm. And I'm glad, despite what happens here, I'm glad that Americans can see this, can see the German justice system treat one of their own, see the German justice system treat an American who had his face slashed while trying to visit his host father in Germany. Because that's what it's come to here. And still we're called radical, as you talked about before, when we point this out, even in the foreign country, and they're doing their best to keep that from getting any media outlet.

[Steve Bannon]

In terms of an eventual conviction, have the prosecution indicated to you what potential sentence would be handed down on a crime like this?

[John Rudat]

Nope, nope. They couldn't get like attempt, I think it's called like an attempt on my life, an attempt on murder kind of thing. So I think he'll get probably maybe six months, a year in jail, maybe. But at this point, he's already been coming on the end of this month, six months in custody. So I guess the German judge will subtract that from the larger sentence. So he may get no time, he may get six months, but I don't think he'll get anything over a year.

[Steve Bannon]

Just on that point. And I think this is all gonna have time to fit into the show. Now just say in your own words exactly what happened with the knife attack. Because you mentioned attempted murder, I gather from hearing you speak elsewhere, if you hadn't turned round, alerted by the sound of the flick knife blade coming out, that would.

[Gunther Fellinger]

That, that.

[Steve Bannon]

That slashing movement would have got your. Got you in the jugular, basically. That would have been murder. You just happened to turn around at the right time, as it were. Just give me 60 seconds about exactly what happened on that.

[John Rudat]

Exactly. Yeah. Going into the nuisance of. Sorry, the nuance of it, the really specifics of the event was I got on that tram, sat down in that tram seat, was talking with my host brother, my friend, when that lady behind me made a few sounds, sounds like cry for help, turned around, and that's when the man originally came towards her. Aggressive, physically, verbally. She shouted at him he shouted at her. I stood up, tried to diffuse the situation. He took a couple steps away. After shouting at me, she turned around and said, it's okay, it's okay. Kind of clenching up against herself. It didn't look like anything was okay and it didn't look like anything was going to get better. And it didn't. He came back just a few moments later, started shouting her again. She stood up, he struck her in the face or in the upper body, grabbed her, threw her down into the corner of the tram seat. That's when I got up, had the altercation with him. And as we mentioned before, unbeknownst to me, that other attacker came up from the side and right as I was open palm yelling stop, stop, stop. At the first attacker of the woman. I heard that clip. I know what an assisted opening knife sounds like and sounded to me like it was one. And if I hadn't just like you said, turned to the right, that knife probably would have right been aimed at my jugular carotid and I would have been dead 100%. I would have been dead on that tram within 90 seconds. The same way Arena Zulutzka got killed.

[Steve Bannon]

And everyone else has sat on the tram, watched some smiling and no one came to your aid. Absolutely incredible. John Rudak, you really are an American hero. Honored to have you on the show today to recount this in your own words for us. Where do people go on social media to follow the contribution of making to public life following this outrageous attack on you?

Of course.

[John Rudat]

Yeah, you can go to [e-mail] johan.rudat you can go on X at Jonathan Rudat and tick tock as well at John Rudette.

[Steve Bannon]

John, very, very grateful. And that's folks, all we have time for. We'll be back next week. I want to thank Will and his crew crack team in denver@Real America's voice and of course Vittorio Santi Franco who worked behind the scenes to put this show together and Cameron Wallace, the show's producer. Take care for now and God bless.

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