Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: No Spin News - TPM Edition - September 5, 2025
Date: September 6, 2025
Host: Bill O'Reilly

Episode Overview

In this episode, Bill O'Reilly delivers a forceful commentary on the escalating violence in Chicago and other major US cities, the role of progressive leaders in fostering social decay, and the potential for federal intervention under Donald Trump. O'Reilly draws sharp historical comparisons, particularly between Trump and Teddy Roosevelt, exploring activist presidential leadership and its impact on American society, public safety, and the economy. The episode oscillates between current events, policy advocacy, and stern criticism of progressive governance, all in O’Reilly’s characteristic direct style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chicago’s Violence Crisis and Federal Intervention

• Chicago Violence Statistics and Critique of Leadership

  • O'Reilly highlights staggering statistics: nearly 4,000 murders in Chicago over the past five years, 84% of victims being Black. Over the recent Labor Day weekend, 61 separate shootings resulted in 9 deaths and 52 injuries—yet "not one arrest."
    • "The system to protect Chicago—who are vulnerable—has collapsed. There is no order in the poor neighborhoods of Chicago. None." (Bill O'Reilly, 01:51)

• Progressive Leadership’s Failings

  • O'Reilly is unsparing in his critique of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson:
    • "The people who run Chicago do not care about stopping the mass killing at all. That's Pritzker, the governor, and Johnson, the mayor. They are ideological people. They live in a bubble of progressive ideology. They are not problem solvers." (00:44)
  • He attributes systemic breakdowns in law enforcement to political ideology, drawing parallels to similar issues in New York, L.A., and San Francisco.

• The Case for Federal Force: National Guard Proposal

  • O’Reilly advocates for the federal government, under Trump, to intervene directly:
    • "You stop it by moving in the National Guard. That's how you stop it. Now, you don't have to keep them there forever, but you reorganize your policing in those neighborhoods, and once the Guard is there, the people will feel protected and come forward." (02:48)
  • Historical reference: O’Reilly claims to have advised President Trump on this approach during his first term, which ultimately was not pursued. He references a recent National Guard deployment in D.C., claiming success: 40% drop in violent crime and 82% drop in carjackings.
    • "Even the progressive mayor of D.C. Muriel Bowser says, hey, this has worked. Washingtonians are more protected and feel safer. And it's the truth." (04:51)

2. Political Resistance and Federal-State Tensions

• Chicago Leadership’s Stance on Federal Measures

  • O’Reilly plays and paraphrases statements from Mayor Johnson, rejecting federal intervention:
    • Johnson: "We are not going to accept, nor are we calling for the occupation of our city by federal troops. There are people who live in our communities. They're our neighbors. They're our friends. And we now have a president and a federal government that's going after them, hunting people down and disappearing them off the streets. Men with masks are grabbing people off the streets and taking them away. And that's just shameful." (06:55–07:38)
  • O’Reilly responds by advocating for the arrest of officials who obstruct federal action if Trump intervenes:
    • "If Mayor Johnson interferes in any way... have him arrested. Arrest him. Now, maybe Johnson wants to get arrested. Maybe he wants to be a martyr, okay? But again, this is about sending a message." (08:06)

• Progressive Politics and Urban Decline

  • O’Reilly attributes escalating chaos in major cities to progressive policies and leadership:
    • "They elect loon after loon after loon. Lori Lightfoot, we thought she was the worst. Johnson. Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago is worse. No, we don't put anybody in jail. It's racist if you put anybody in jail." (12:17)

3. Comparative Urban Decay: California, New York, and Chicago

• California: Fiscal Mismanagement and Population Decline

  • O’Reilly notes a transition from a budget surplus to $32 billion in debt under Governor Gavin Newsom, with 1.2 million residents having left the state:
    • "It has gone from a budget surplus to $32 billion in debt. That is just an abysmal record. And what did the state get for the 32 billion in debt? All of that massive spending? You tell me, because I don't know." (10:08)
  • He criticizes massive spending on homelessness and claims no improvement.

• New York: Exodus and Education Failures

  • Over 2 million people have left New York City/state since 2015. O'Reilly connects this to taxes, social disorder, and school issues.
  • He argues that expensive public education is less effective than parochial schools:
    • "We are spending more than $35,000 per pupil in New York Public Schools...Catholic schools, maybe spend 13, 14,000 and you'll get a better education in Catholic school and they'll take you even if you're Muslim now. So failure, failure, failure, failure." (13:22)
  • Warning about the arrival of what he calls a “communist mayor” in NYC, O’Reilly compares the city’s trajectory to biblical Sodom and Gomorrah.

• Overarching Message:

  • "Progressive leadership doesn't work anywhere in the world. Never has, never will... Doesn't work. Progressive leadership." (14:26)

4. Historical Comparisons: Trump, Teddy Roosevelt, and Activist Leadership

• Teddy Roosevelt as a Model for Trump

  • O’Reilly outlines the activist and populist tendencies shared by Roosevelt and Trump, noting Roosevelt’s fight against the “robber barons” and his call for American unity:
    • "Roosevelt was a very activist president and he was a populist, just like Trump, not really a Republican. He called himself a progressive. That word meant far different back then than it means now." (15:06)
  • Claims Trump is, in style, a modern reincarnation of Roosevelt and Alexander Hamilton.

• Trump’s Economic Policy: Tariffs and Manufacturing

  • O’Reilly praises Trump’s efforts in his first term—tariffs, reshoring jobs, and an improved economy for Black Americans:
    • "He wants more manufacturing jobs, making more stuff here, rather than hotel jobs, fast food jobs, Uber jobs. He wants the higher paying jobs and he believes that's the way to elevate the middle class." (16:41)
  • Predicts that Trump’s gamble on the economy ("six more months to see if prices go down and wages goes up and more jobs are plentiful") will decide the political future in the upcoming midterms. (18:51)

• Public Safety: Trump’s Approach vs. Liberal Cities

  • Describes Trump’s "disdain" for contemporary liberal governance and belief in federal intervention when states fail at public safety.
    • "Donald Trump has disdain for liberal governance. Disdain. Disdain. He believes they're weak. He believes they don't care about public safety. He believes that the poor are getting murdered, literally, and nobody's doing anything about it. So he will, but then he gets into the balance of power..." (19:12)

5. Foreign Policy Brief

• Russia and China as Challenges
  • O’Reilly notes Trump faces a tough foreign policy landscape, especially with Putin’s aggression and China’s alignment:
    • "China is exploiting Putin's madness by basically sending a signal. We're going to help Putin in Ukraine and other places. We're going to help him wreak destruction. That is really a tough one for Donald Trump." (20:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "There is no order in the poor neighborhoods of Chicago. None. And if you are a killer, you will get away with murder... Police department is undermanned. The city council undermines punishment. It goes on and on and on and on."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (01:40)

• "If you are an elected official anywhere in this country and you put your own people in danger, federal government's going to step in and protect those people."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (06:43)

• "Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago, is worse. No, we don't put anybody in jail. It's racist if you put anybody in jail. Yeah, Nah, nah. Let the gang bangers just mow down anybody they want."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (12:20)

• "Progressive leadership doesn't work anywhere in the world. Never has, never will."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (14:26)

• "Trump is... a very different kind of person. Everybody knows that, but they don't know really why. So you got to go back to Teddy Roosevelt."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (14:44)

• "Trump has vowed to change it. That's a popular issue for him. The MAGA people like that issue. MAGA people on the terrorists are not quite sure. This one, about 98% are with him."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (19:43)

• "Nobody knows, and I mean that nobody knows how this is going to end. And that's the memo."
  — Bill O'Reilly, (21:27)

Important Timestamps

• 00:07–05:50: Chicago violence crisis, critique of Pritzker & Johnson, call for National Guard, success story from D.C.
• 06:43–07:38: Brandon Johnson’s statement rejecting National Guard, O'Reilly's reaction.
• 09:24–14:35: Comparative discussion—California’s debt, New York’s exodus, school failures, and the decline of Democratic-run cities.
• 14:40–17:40: Trump as activist, historical comparisons, economic reform, political strategy.
• 18:46–20:36: Trump’s leadership style, public safety, foreign policy—Russia and China.

Summary

This episode sees Bill O'Reilly at his most combative, blaming progressive leadership for violence and decay in American cities, especially Chicago, and advocating for federal intervention if local authorities fail to protect citizens. He paints Donald Trump as a transformative activist president, echoing historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt, willing to take extraordinary steps in public safety and economic policy. O’Reilly’s central argument remains clear: progressive policies do not work, and only strong, decisive leadership can restore order and prosperity. The tone is urgent, critical, and unapologetic.