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WarRoom Battleground EP 970: Massive Throw Down In Senate Over SAVE ACT Cont; Joe Kent Resigns - Bannon`s War Room | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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WarRoom Battleground EP 970: Massive Throw Down In Senate Over SAVE ACT Cont; Joe Kent Resigns

Bannon`s War Room

Tue Mar 17 2026

WarRoom Battleground EP 970: Massive Throw Down In Senate Over SAVE ACT Cont; Joe Kent Resigns ...

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

War Room Battleground EP 970:

Massive Throw Down In Senate Over SAVE ACT Cont.; Joe Kent Resigns
Host: Steve Bannon | Date: March 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the political battle in the U.S. Senate over the controversial SAVE America Act, which aims to impose stricter voter ID and citizenship verification requirements for voting. The show features live reactions to heated speeches on the Senate floor, key interviews with lawmakers and correspondents, and breaking news regarding Joe Kent’s resignation as Head of the National Counterterrorism Center over disagreements with the Trump administration’s Iran policy. The episode is marked by urgent debate, partisan positioning, and a focus on the implications for U.S. democracy, foreign policy, and the upcoming presidential elections.

Main Themes

Fierce Senate debate over the SAVE Act, exposing sharp partisan divides.
The SAVE Act as both a voter integrity measure and, as critics argue, a vehicle for voter suppression.
Trump’s insistence on making the SAVE Act the GOP’s foremost priority.
Fractures within the Republican Party and MAGA movement over foreign intervention, particularly concerning Iran and NATO.
Joe Kent’s high-profile resignation in protest of Trump’s Iran war policy and its ties to Israeli influence.
Broader anxieties about U.S. electoral security, foreign interference, and America’s international alliances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Senate Showdown Over the SAVE Act

Democratic Critique:
- Senator Alex Padilla (CA) lambasts the bill, claiming, “This is not a simple voter ID bill. The latest version of the SAVE act is a Trojan horse…actually, it's a voter suppression bill filled with poison pills.” (00:00)
- Padilla elaborates that requiring items like a passport (which half of Americans lack) is a deliberate barrier to voting: “...the SAVE act would require a passport in order to vote, something that half of Americans don’t have…there’s an estimated 21 million people who lack access to these documents.” (01:35)
- Notably highlights the impact on married women and those with name changes: "If you're one of the 69 million married women who chose to change your name... tough luck... now you have to jump through additional hoops." (01:35)
Bannon’s Commentary:
- Frames Democrats' opposition as “Election Takeover act—that’s what they’re calling it. So we see their angle of attack on this already.” (03:36)
- Insists the real driver is the 20–25 million “illegal aliens” he alleges influence elections.
GOP Position and Internal Debate:
- Senator John Thune (SD) maintains there are already state-level voter protections and stresses the Senate’s tradition of deliberation and the importance of the filibuster: “…the founders had for the United States Senate was that it would be one body that was majoritarian and one that wasn’t.” (04:21; see also 16:40)
- Some moderate Republicans (Murkowski, Tillis) openly oppose the bill over concerns about disenfranchisement (14:19).
Tactical Updates:
- The GOP whip count hinges on a few holdouts; if the vote is tied, Vice President JD Vance would break the tie (16:26-16:40).
- Bannon and guests worry GOP leaders lack “urgency” and criticize Thune for a “pro forma, no-fire” response (19:32-21:25).
Senator James Lankford (OK):
- Defends rigorous ID procedures in Oklahoma: “If you vote early absentee…you have to pull out an ID…If you’re going to mail in your ballot…you’ve got to show ID when you actually do it.” (32:02)
- Argues, “Why don’t we just verify that only American citizens are voting? Because we all know it’s happening.” (39:32)

2. Foreign Policy Flashpoints—NATO, Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz

Correspondent’s Analysis:
- The Strait of Hormuz remains closed; Europe unwilling to support U.S. moves, leading to global economic strain, rising fuel, and food prices (11:17).
- Trump signals disappointment with NATO and questions U.S. alliance commitments:
  - “I’m disappointed in NATO…It’s one of the reasons we have deficits…Certainly something we should think about [leaving].” (13:28)
  - Emphasizes U.S. military preeminence: “We’ve wiped out their [Iran’s] navy, wiped out their military in every aspect. Their air force is now decimated.” (12:43)
European Attitudes:
- Allies like France and Italy seek direct talks with Iran; Germany flat-out says, “it’s not our war” (36:04-38:52).
Neil McCabe’s Take:
- Sees waning NATO resolve as signaling “the death of this rules-based order” (34:54).
- Reminisces on European allies’ historical patterns of transactional military alliances.

3. Joe Kent Resignation—Dissent in the MAGA Ranks

Breaking News: Joe Kent, a decorated veteran and trailblazer in Trump’s counterterrorism efforts, resigns as Head of the National Counterterrorism Center, citing conscience and opposition to the Iran conflict:
- Kent’s stinging critique: “I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people.” (43:37)
- Attributes war policy to “pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
- Trump quickly dismisses Kent as “weak on security” (43:08).
Bannon’s Response:
- Praises Kent’s service and calls for an “immediate investigation” into his charges.
- Suggests this split is a rupture inside the Trump camp and the MAGA coalition (44:19).

4. Concerns Over Election Integrity and Foreign Interference

Bannon’s Claims:
- Argues the 2020 election and subsequent events—from pandemic to Ukraine—are tied to "stolen elections" and foreign (primarily Chinese) interference.
- Alleges: “During the pandemic, the [Chinese] party…went into the voter rolls and got people’s information, your addresses, your Social Security numbers, everything they needed…to steal an election by mail in ballots.” (06:18)
- Cites the intelligence community and DHS suppression of evidence.

5. Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

Sen. Alex Padilla (CA):

“No, this is not a simple voter ID bill. The latest version of the SAVE act is a Trojan horse.” (00:00)
“If you’re one of the 69 million married women who chose to change your name…tough luck…your recourse [is]…jump through additional hoops.” (01:35)
Sen. John Thune (SD):

“The founders…divided power in a way that enabled the United States Senate…to ensure there are bipartisan majorities…in which to accomplish that.” (04:21)
“States have the authority…to do this already.” (16:40)
Steve Bannon:

"What’s always been front and center is stolen elections…the railhead of everything…the financial destruction of the country…the problems in Ukraine and in Gaza." (06:18)
Sen. James Lankford (OK):

“We protect the right of all individuals to vote—every American citizen.” (22:19)
“Why don’t we just verify that only American citizens are voting? Because we all know it’s happening.” (39:32)
Donald Trump (on NATO):

“It’s one of the reasons we have deficits…certainly something that we should think about [leaving]. But I will say that I’m not exactly thrilled when we help them with Ukraine.” (13:28)
“I always thought [Joe Kent] was a nice guy…but very weak on security. When I read his statement, I realized it’s a good thing that he’s out.” (43:08)
Joe Kent’s Resignation Letter (read by reporter):

“As a veteran…as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife…in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people.” (43:37)
Neil McCabe:

"This is really the death of NATO and...the death of this rules-based order." (34:54)

Segment Timestamps

00:00–03:36: Sen. Padilla denounces the SAVE Act, voter suppression angle.
03:36–06:18: Bannon reacts, frames debate as election integrity vs. Democratic partisanship.
06:18–08:00: Bannon alleges 2020 election foreign interference, ties to pandemic.
11:17–14:19: Update: Strait of Hormuz crisis, Trump and NATO relations.
14:19–16:40: News anchor outlines Senate whip count, procedural hurdles.
19:32–21:25: Bannon and McCabe: GOP lacks energy, base wants a “real fight.”
22:19–26:05: Sen. Lankford defends state-level ID laws and Voting Rights Act.
32:02–33:14: Lankford details Oklahoma’s strict voter ID processes.
34:54–38:52: McCabe and Bannon deconstruct collapse of NATO consensus.
42:32–44:19: Joe Kent’s resignation and fallout in the Trump world.

Notable Moments

Bannon’s running theme—that the SAVE Act is the "litmus test" for GOP loyalty and electoral security.
Kent’s resignation is a ground-shaking moment, exposing the brewing civil-military–political rift on war policy within the Trump administration.
Padilla’s speech is highlighted as emblematic of Democrats’ civil rights concerns about the bill.
Sen. Lankford’s invocation of the Voting Rights Act as a foundational text for the GOP rationale.

Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This summary captures the passionate arguments, key revelations, and high-stakes maneuvering in the U.S. Senate over voting rights and national security. It provides clear attribution, direct quotes, and timestamps for key segments, distilling the essential themes and controversies from an episode marked by urgent political drama.

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Transcript

Alex Padilla (0:00)

And misinformation and misrepresentations repeated over and over again by our Republican colleagues. So let me make a few things very clear. First of all, no, this is not a simple voter ID bill. The latest version of the SAVE act is a Trojan horse. Actually, it's a voter suppression bill filled with poison pills and, and designed to change the rules of the election as we're in the middle of primary election season already and the November election on the horizon. And for what? For partisan political gain? The President himself has said that if this bill passes, Republicans, quote, will never lose a race for 50 years. We won't lose a race, end quote. The lead sponsor of this bill in the Senate has stated, quote, republicans will lose power, likely for a long time if we don't get the Save America act passed, end quote. Colleagues, it doesn't get any more obvious than that. And here's how it works, okay?

Steve Bannon (1:18)

You're in the war room for the 6 o' clock hour. Alex Padilla of California is their fourth Democrat or actually fifth Democrat in a row. They are trying to bring the heat against the Save America Act. We're going to watch and listen in. We've got some guests. We're going to have play some clips. Let's go back to the senate floor.

Alex Padilla (1:35)

Alex Padilla, CA to use their driver's licenses or comment IDs to register to vote. The SAVE act would require a passport in order to vote. Something that half of Americans don't have. Not to mention the $165 it costs and a four to six week wait time to get one. And if you're one of the 148 million Americans who does not have a passport but you're otherwise eligible to vote, you'll need to what, maybe dig through the attic or call your parents to try to find your original birth certificate. That's if you still even have it. According to one survey, there's an estimated 21 million people who lack access to these documents. That's a big chunk of the electorate. And if you're one of the 69 million married women who chose to change your name when you got married, tough luck, your name doesn't match your birth certificate anymore. Even if you can find the birth certificate now, you have to jump through additional hoops and bring your birth certificate and your marriage license to the election office. That is your recourse. Because just to make this even more of a burden, the SAVE act mandates that you bring these documents and let me quote from the bill in person to the office of the appropriate election official and sign an affidavit. That's what the text of the bill says. And as a result, millions of women are going to face additional barriers to the ballot than their spouses have to face. Why does anybody have time for that some evening after work, maybe on a weekend? That's assuming elections offices are open in the evenings and on weekends.

Steve Bannon (6:20)

I judge. One of the ways I judge people of how serious, how really MAGA they are is not simply the fact were they with this early, are they populist nationalists and are they held tough, particularly in 16 and during the first administration when they were coming at President Trump and then right after us in the 2020 with the pandemic and then the, the big steal and then the horrible years of 21 and 22 before he took back the House. You look at that and where are they on the vital, vital issues of the day? And never was a vital issue. The Middle east or Israel just wasn't after we took out isis. It's a sideshow and should remain a sideshow. And now it's kind of front and center. There'll be a topic for later. But what's always been front and center is stolen elections, the stolen 2020 election, which was the railhead of everything. It's the railhead of the financial destruction of the country. It's the railhead of 20 or 25 million illegal aliens in the country. Henceforth, we're having this debate right now. It's the railhead really, of the problems in Ukraine and in Gaza. None of that would have started if President Trump had won the had had been allowed to close on his victory in 2020 and not had it stolen. And so now three massive things are happening simultaneously. We have a real investigation going on in, in Fulton county, and the Justice Department is not folding on that. They didn't this arbitration kind of mediation kind of fell apart. And the Democrats, what are they doing? They're trying to get the ballots, they're trying to get the evidence. What's happening in Maricopa County? Something along the same lines then John Solomon's breaking massive blockbuster after massive blockbuster. And we know this because the intelligence community controlled by political appointees of President Trump don't want to really step forward and push it. Now, we do understand that John Ratcliffe, the Director of the CIA has been quite helpful to John and I think they're actually going to release some documents over the next couple of days. But the White House, John Solomon's words, not mine. The White House told him, hey, can you tamp this down? Just hold it for a while. We don't want to upset Xi and, you know, we want to make sure that we can have this state meeting, you know, at some time in the future, the China meeting. But we have now evidence of what we always thought that during the pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party, who started the pandemic as a biological weapon from the Wuhan lab, they started the pandemic because they couldn't defeat Trump. In May of 2019, they had declared a people's war against us because they said, we're never going to sign the light hazard deal after we, after we negotiated for two years, we're never going to sign it. We're never going to become part of the economic order driven by the Americans, the foreign devils. We're not going to do that. And they declared a people's Warners. And what did they do? They let off a biological weapon, I don't know, summer of 2019, fall of 2019, at the military Games, and then push it out into January, February, March of 2021. And we now know that the Chinese Communist Party, excuse me, in 20. The Chinese Communist Party, January, February, March of 2020. We now know in April 2020 because John Samas brought it out and Glenn Beck's done a tremendous job. I'll play that Glenn Beck clip in a minute. That they went and got not ballots, they went into the voter rolls and got people's information, your addresses, your Social Security numbers, everything they needed. Everything they needed to steal an election by mail in ballots which they knew were coming because they knew they put the pandemic out there. A very well thought through plan. And what's so shocking about John Solomon's discoveries is that the intelligence community and DHS knew about it and suppressed the information. Suppressed it now for what, five years, going on six years. Suppress the information. Now you know why? They didn't want to look in too much into the laptop from hell in the same time frame. And it's starting. They had a laptop from hell in November, December of 2019. They made a conscious decision to try to thwart us when we start bringing forward revelations on it. In September 2020, after Rudy Giuliani got his hands on, started going through it and called me up to go through the Chinese Communist Party of it which was unreal of the Biden's involvement in that. Let's go ahead. We do have a cold open. We've got Padilla. I think we have a couple more Democrats. We're definitely gonna make sure you hear what they have to say. But let's say this. They're not fans of the Save America act because their business model is predicated upon those 20 million illegal alien invaders in the country. Look at Mandami. Mike Davis said it very well. Mondame up in New York City. We have a cold open. Reset the play. I don't want to jump the gun here. We're good, we're good. Okay, it's the six o', clock, guys. Let's go ahead and let it rip.

News Anchor/Reporter (14:19)

Right now we have two Republicans who are on the record saying that they plan to oppose this procedural vote that is set to happen, really within the next hour. That's Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis. Murkowski in particular, not such a surprise. A few weeks ago she had put out an op ed saying that she was opposed to, to the Save America Act. And let's remind viewers what exactly this is. It would require proof of citizenship to vote in addition to voter id. Now, some Republicans and virtually all Democrats have raised concerns that maybe all Americans don't actually have access to those documents. They would be needed to verify their citizenship and the voter id. For example, everybody may not have a driver's license. Everybody may not have a copy of their birth certificate. That was one of the chief concerns. Concerns. Also married women, there was concern that maybe they would run into some issues at the ballot box if their married name does not match the name on that identification. So this is all set to come to a head finally, right after weeks of President Trump calling this his number one priority, urging Republicans to vote on it. We are going to see the Senate barrel towards that. So later this afternoon, there's going to be this initial procedural vote to kick off this process. It requires a majority vote. Now, if there is one more Republican who votes against it, it would be 5050 and that means that Vice President JD Vance would be needed up here to break that tie. One person we're paying close attention to, Senator Mitch McConnell. We'll see how he votes on that. If this procedural vote is successful, whether with Republican votes or with the tie breaking vote from the Vice President, we would then see what could end up being a days or weeks long debate over the SAVE Act. We expect this to be an elongated process. We're in a bit of uncharted territory right now. So we don't know how long it's going to be. But at the end of the day, let's not forget this has no chance of becoming law. It would require 60 votes in order to pass through the Senate. And there just are not enough Democratic supporters, really any Democratic supporters who could get this behind this legislation. But still President Trump using it very much so as a litmus test of support with the the Republican Party and as a way to rev up conversation about what he's calling his number one priority.

Senator James Lankford (22:19)

has to say for our own future, decide for our own families without having foreign interference coming across an ocean to be able to affect us. We determined that we wanted to run our own Nation. Now, 250 years later, we still want to run our own nation. We want to make our own decisions without foreign interference, without anyone stepping in and telling us as Americans who we're going to be and what we're going to do. We disagree with each other enough. We don't need individuals from the outside coming in and expressing their opinion. We handle this as Americans. And the way that we do that is with elections. Elections have been routinely done through the history of our country since our Constitution was ratified in 1789. It has been a distinguishing Mark of the United States. We're the oldest functioning constitutional democracy in the world. And in our republic, we choose representatives. Those representatives speak on our behalf. And if we decide we don't like them for whatever reason, we choose different representatives. But we as Americans, choose our own path through our own elected officials. That's what we do. And we do it on a regular, consistent basis. Now, in the earliest days, it was literally a wooden box and slips of paper. We've improved that over the years, step by step, decade after decade, we've done elections a little bit differently. Now they're done differently all over the country on it. But we have some basic foundational rules that also guide us. We choose our own leaders, but we do it the right way. Wasn't always that way. But as we've improved, we make our elections more transparent, better, faster responses, giving more trust. Many folks in my generation will never forget the photograph of staring at a hanging chad from the Bush election with a person in an election board closely staring through a magnifying glass to try to figure out if there was a dimple on a piece of paper. There's no election system in the country that does chads anymore, because we all determined that's a terrible idea. It's just a bad way to be able to try to prove the intent of a vote. And a whole younger generation has no idea what a hanging chad would even be, because we no longer do that anymore. We protect the right of all individuals to vote, every American citizen. Because in the middle of the 1960s, we as a nation passed the Voting Rights act, determining that every person in America has the right to be able to vote. And that would be protected. That if there'd be any jurisdiction in the country that would violate that, that a federal court could literally step in and say, no, every single citizen of the country would have a protected right to vote. In fact, if you want me to read it to you, the Voting Rights act actually begins with this simple statement. All citizens of the United States who are otherwise qualified by law to vote at any election by the people in any state, territory, district, county, city, parish, township, school district, municipality, or other territorial subdivision shall be entitled and allowed to vote. But this simple statement that the Voting Rights act begins with all citizens. What's interesting is the Voting Rights act protected the ability of a court to step in and say, if some citizen is not being allowed to vote.

Steve Bannon (44:19)

Now, there's some confusion about the. About how Joe wrote that letter, but how it was delivered, and the understanding now it's been out, that he met with the Vice President. He and Tulsi Gabbard together met with the Vice President on Monday, and the Vice President recommended he go see the Chief of Staff and the president, which I think in this situation would have been quite appropriate, given Joe Kent is a guy that's highly revered. Like I said, the Chief Warrant officer Kent was 11. Combat tours, valor and courage and dedication to country beyond question. His wife, his beloved wife died, I think, in the Syrian operation, leaving him as a. As a widower with two young, I think two young boys. So Joe Kent's dedication as countries unparalleled in this letter, being as controversial as it is with the content that it has, I think it would have been Very appropriate maybe for the Vice President to get him to the Chief of Staff and get him to the President, United States, so he could share with the President why he was considering resigning, in fact, why he had drafted a letter. I think that's. I think that would have been very important. Now, this is going to get played out, obviously in the media, but the charges are very. Coming from a guy like Joe Kent, to me, you're going to have to investigate this. There should be an immediate investigation of the facts of what he's talking about. We got to get. We can't. These are the type of things we can't kick down the road anymore. I've had many, many questions about the 12 Day War and about this whole imminent threat, exactly what's there and why things have to go at the time. As I've also said, hey, now you're in it. We got to win this thing and we must win it. And it's not a good sign when people that owe their security to the United States of America, and not just their national security, keeping the Russians and other bad guys away, but when they owe their economic security goods and services, products and oil that go through other Straits of Hormuz, but also through the Red Sea and up to the Suez Canal. The United States Navy's protecting all that. And so these questions have to be answered. And for a guy like Joe Kent to put it out, it's not going to go away. It's going to be very serious. Let's go back. We've got Ossoff, I think of Georgia. This is a. This is a. This is a very tough race down in Georgia.

Senator Jon Ossoff (46:33)

Sergeant Simmons has been posthumous, posthumously promoted from Tech Sergeant to master Sergeant. He was a musician and played both the viola and violin in his high school. Amazing talent. His family says he loved to roller skate. Tyler loved his family, but was particularly fond of his grandmother Bernice, who at 85 years old is described as his confidant and workout buddy. Tyler's smile could light up any room. His strong presence would fill it, his family says. His mother said he loved serving in the military and that he was born for it. We mourn today alongside Master Sergeant Simmons, entire family. See them pictured there. You can see his smile, can tell what they mean. They talk about his smile. Third individual I would like to honor is Captain Seth Koval. He was 38 years old from Mooresville, Indiana, and he was an aircraft commander with 19 years of service to our country. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in aviation operations from Purdue University in 2011, he was a KC135R Stratotanker instructor pilot. See Captain Sovol there. Captain Covel first enlisted in 2006 as a machinist with Indiana's National Guard's 122nd Fighter Wing and transferred to the Ohio National Guard, which we were welcome and loved to have him. In 2017, he flew a total of 2,076 hours, 443 of those in combat. His wife said he grew up dreaming of being a pilot, a dream that his hard work made come true. He was a man of devout faith in Jesus. He was a man of devout faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He was described as loving, generous, selfless, kind hearted, smart, devoted, and a fixer of all things. And a real outdoorsman. His loss is one mourned by many, but most of all by his wife, Heather, his son, and countless other close family members and friends of Captain Seth Koval. See our three heroes right there, Mr. President. These service members, alongside their three other brothers and sisters in arms, gave the last full measure of devotion to their country last week. I thank my colleagues for hearing their stories this evening, for honoring their service and for celebrating their lives and for mourning their loss alongside a grateful nation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Captain Curtis Angst, Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons, and Captain Seth Covel.

Steve Bannon (50:30)

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