Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: O'Round the World - February 15, 2026
Date: February 15, 2026
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Notable Guests: Mark Levin, Boomer Esiason, Jesse Watters, Simone Del Rosario

Overview

This episode centers on a no-spin discussion of the current American political and economic landscape as the country approaches the 2026 midterms. Bill O’Reilly analyzes President Trump’s prospects, the public’s mood, and key election issues like inflation, insurance costs, and immigration. The conversation expands to cultural commentary—most notably the reasons behind Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show—and ends with in-depth discussion about the Epstein hearings, California’s social and economic decline, and media narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The 2026 Midterm Landscape

[00:34-02:15, 23:02-24:30, 35:58-36:09]

• Potential Outcomes:
  O’Reilly predicts that if the midterms were held immediately, Democrats would likely take the House and the Senate might be a tie, leaving the Vice President, J.D. Vance, as the tiebreaker.

  “If the vote were held tomorrow, Democrats would take one, the House of Representatives, and it might be a tie in the Senate... The momentum is against President Trump right now.” — Bill O’Reilly [01:56]

• Why Trump’s Agenda Is at Risk:
  Losing congressional chambers hampers Trump's ability to implement his agenda, limiting him to executive orders that would likely face court challenges.

• Economic Discontent:
  Public frustration centers on rising living costs—especially food, meat, and insurance.

  “It's becoming increasingly difficult to get ahead of the bills... Insurance companies are some of the greediest corporations in the world.” — Bill O’Reilly [01:56]

• Blame and Context:
  O’Reilly attributes initial economic shocks to Covid and government responses—especially post-pandemic spending under Biden, which sparked lasting inflation.

2. Key Issues Driving Voter Sentiment

[01:55-03:30, 16:48-18:45, 18:45-19:46]

• Personal Finances over Policy:
  Americans, especially women, vote emotionally based on economic security and “calm.”

  “The grocery store trumps Beijing all day long. The average American voter, particularly female... wants calm and wants to be able to pursue a worthwhile life, have enough money and assets to do that.” — Bill O’Reilly [07:14]

• Insurance as Top Problem:
  Skyrocketing insurance premiums are demoralizing for working people.

  “Insurance, that's the main reason that people are finding themselves short of cash. If you live in a high tax state... you're being taxed up to here and then you got to pay these enormous insurance costs and it dwarfs food.” — Bill O’Reilly [16:48]

• Tax Refunds Hoped as Remedy:
  Trump administration is banking on tax refunds to revive confidence and spending.

3. Immigration and Crime Narratives

[04:00-06:15, 51:29-53:55]

• ICE and Migration:
  O’Reilly claims there’s broad support for removing undocumented migrants, but faulty government messaging has hurt Trump, especially with Latino voters.

• Media “Lies” about Criminal Statistics:
  O’Reilly criticizes stats used by Democrats and mainstream media to downplay the threat posed by illegal immigrants.

  “Drug dealing is not considered a violent crime. Child pornography, not considered a violent crime... Domestic abuse, not considered a violent crime... They use a 14% number, which is totally bogus, to justify abolishing ICE.” — Bill O’Reilly [51:57]

4. Foreign Policy: Iran, Cuba, and Beyond

[09:20-11:00, 19:46-22:08]

• Foreign Policy Doesn't Sway Voters:
  Americans don't typically “vote foreign policy,” but Trump’s foreign agenda (“reshaping the world”) is nonetheless significant—especially his hard lines on China and Russia.

• Potential Wins and Risks:
  The administration hopes for major foreign policy breakthroughs, such as regime changes in Iran and Cuba.

• On Iran:
  O’Reilly takes a pragmatic stance—deal over war if Iran can be forced to release political prisoners and be stripped of nuclear capacity, but acknowledges that the mullahs are hard to budge without severe pressure.

  “A deal at this point in history... is better than the United States bombing the country and killing a bunch of Muslims.” — Bill O’Reilly [20:36]

5. The Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Explained

[11:20-16:21, 29:03-31:58, 43:11-45:28]

• Business, Not “Woke” Politics:
  Contrary to culture war punditry, O’Reilly insists Bad Bunny’s presence was about Apple’s vast investment in NFL advertising and music downloads, not virtue signaling.

  “It wasn't about being socially correct or woke... Apple wanted Bad Bunny at the halftime show to sell downloads for Apple music. That's what it was all about.” — Bill O’Reilly [29:48]
  “Apple invested between 50 and $100 million in the NFL just this year... Apple will make four times that worldwide on downloads.” — Bill O’Reilly [44:06]

• Music Industry Shifts:
  Bad Bunny is framed as a hugely successful international artist driven by downloads, not traditional album sales.

• No NFL Payment:
  Bad Bunny performed the halftime without direct payment—expenses only—knowing the performance would boost his music revenue globally.

• Cultural Reactions:
  O’Reilly finds the outrage over Bad Bunny performative by both sides—critics and fans:

  “The most strident critics of the devious Rabbit make money themselves criticizing him... everybody wins except the kids who listen to this guy and incorporate what he says into their lives.” — Bill O’Reilly [15:18]

6. Epstein Hearings, Clintons, Media Spin

[33:12-34:56, 37:13-42:44]

• Clinton Complications:
  The ongoing investigations into Epstein are seen as potentially damaging for the Clintons. Epstein reportedly provided support to the Clinton Foundation and Global Initiative.

• Attempts to Link Trump:
  Media and Democrats are trying to connect Trump to Epstein’s crimes, but O’Reilly says there’s no credible evidence.

  “It's obvious the Democratic Party wants to link Donald Trump to some kind of crime involving Epstein. That evidence has not surfaced. They're never going to stop doing that.” — Bill O’Reilly [38:04]

• On Attorney General Bondi's Testimony:
  O’Reilly describes Bondi’s approach as intentionally confrontational, seeing the hearings as a “charade.”

• Ilhan Omar's Accusations:
  O’Reilly sees Rep. Omar’s inflammatory language against Trump as worthy of House ethics sanctions, not direct legal counterattacks.

  “I think that the House of Representatives should bring Ms. Omar up into the Ethics Committee and sanction her for this kind of outrageous behavior.” — Bill O’Reilly [41:33]

7. The State of California, Super Bowl, and Social Decay

[25:19-26:41, 46:34-48:49]

• San Francisco’s Decline:
  Bill shares stories from his documentary reporting on homelessness and crime, focusing on the Tenderloin neighborhood. He attributes the city’s trouble to permissive drug policies, lack of enforcement, and “Honduran illegal aliens” controlling the drug trade.

• Exorbitant Costs:
  Super Bowl pricing is mocked—$36 cheeseburgers, $30K tickets—and state taxes are seen as driving people and businesses away.

  “California is so extreme in its taxation. It is double what I pay for a gallon of gas on Long Island.” — Bill O’Reilly [46:59]

8. Political Personalities and Party Dynamics

[22:49-24:01, 56:03-58:41]

• Trump’s Personality and Consistency:
  O’Reilly and guests characterize Trump as fundamentally unchanged since the 1980s and 2016.

• Gavin Newsom:
  O’Reilly recounts his encounter with California’s governor, describing Newsom as charismatic, affable, and surprisingly approachable at high society events.

• Pelosi and the Democratic Party:
  Comments on Pelosi’s immense wealth, her social distancing from San Francisco’s decline, and the radicalization of the Democratic leadership:

  “She is a radical leftist… There are two types of Democrats… [but] they’re not effective. They don’t represent the Democratic Party.” — Bill O’Reilly [58:20]

• Moderates in Hiding:
  Discussion about the scarcity and silence of moderate Democrats due to social media pressure and dominance by the far left.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Economic Anxiety:

  “People's standard of living... is becoming increasingly difficult to get ahead of the bills… insurance companies are some of the greediest corporations in the world.” — Bill O’Reilly [01:56]

• On Trump's Communication:

  “I think he should have commercials, television commercials... here's the reality of the situation... give the impression the president... is on the case.” — Bill O’Reilly [18:45]

• On Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl:

  “It wasn't about being socially correct or woke... Apple wanted Bad Bunny at the halftime show to sell downloads for Apple music. That's what it was all about.” — Bill O’Reilly [29:48]

• On Democrats' ICE Crime Stats:

  “Drug dealing is not considered a violent crime... They use a 14% number, which is totally bogus, to justify abolishing ICE.” — Bill O’Reilly [51:57]

• On Outrage and Capitalism:

  “The most strident critics of the devious Rabbit make money themselves criticizing him... everybody wins except the kids who listen to this guy and incorporate what he says into their lives.” — Bill O’Reilly [15:18]

• On the Democratic Party’s Evolution:

  “Look at Schumer. Schumer used to... portray himself as a populist... now he's Che Guevara.” — Bill O’Reilly [59:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Forecasting the 2026 Midterms: [00:34–02:15], [35:58–36:09]
• Economic Discontent and Insurance Hassles: [01:56–03:30], [16:48–18:45]
• Media on Immigration and ICE: [51:29–53:55]
• Bad Bunny Super Bowl Business Deal: [11:20–16:21], [29:03–31:58], [43:11–45:28]
• Epstein Hearings and Clinton Connections: [33:12–34:56], [37:13–42:44]
• Trump, Personality, and Party Consistency: [22:49–24:01]
• California, Social Decline, and Taxes: [25:19–26:41], [46:34–48:49]
• Party Moderates and Democratic Radicalization: [58:20–59:41]

Tone and Style

O’Reilly’s signature “no spin” approach is evident—blending blunt, occasionally acerbic political and cultural commentary with humor, skepticism toward mainstream narratives, and deep knowledge of media operations. He calls out “lies” from both parties, openly mocks performative outrage, and peppers the episode with personal anecdotes, quick asides, and pop culture references.

Conclusion

This episode offers a sweeping, candid look at America’s 2026 crossroads—electorally, economically, and culturally. O’Reilly paints a picture of voter frustration with kitchen-table issues, a political class disconnected from its base, and a media ecosystem more invested in spectacle and outrage than substance. Listeners are reminded that beneath the headlines and outrage cycles, money—rather than ideology—often drives decisions, whether in politics, pop culture, or pro football.