Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: Olympic Hockey Win Boosts Nationalism – Stephen A. Smith Weighs In, Supreme Court Rules on President Trump’s Tariffs, Tensions Rise in Iran & Drug Cartel has Mexican City Under Siege
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Main Guests: Stephen A. Smith, Sina Toossi

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the intersection of sports and nationalism following the US Olympic hockey gold wins, the cultural and political divide exemplified by the differing responses of the men’s and women’s teams, the controversy around FBI Director Cash Patel’s appearance at the Olympics, the Supreme Court decision curtailing President Trump’s tariff authority, escalating tensions with Iran, and the violent fallout from the death of Mexico’s top cartel leader. Bill O’Reilly navigates these topics with guest commentary from sportscaster Stephen A. Smith and Iran specialist Sina Toossi.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympic Hockey Gold & Nationalism (00:00–17:00)

• National Reaction & Team Cultures

  • The US men’s hockey team won gold against Canada, with standout performances from the Hughes brothers and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
  • O’Reilly: “I was proud. You guys did what you had to do. [...] The USA would not give up. And so they deserve their win.” (04:56)
  • Noted difference in public patriotism between the men’s and women's teams.
  • The women’s team declined President Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union; O’Reilly criticizes their lack of patriotic display, contrasting with the men’s team.

• Guest Analysis: Stephen A. Smith on Team Culture and Patriotism

  • Smith supports Cash Patel’s locker room appearance: “I don’t have any problem whatsoever with the FBI director being in the locker room celebrating with the Team USA. [...] His rooting interest clearly is undeniable.” (08:49)
  • Smith rebuts O’Reilly’s criticism of Disney/ESPN: “They certainly don’t control what I say. [...] I’ve been working for ESPN for over 20 years.” (09:10)
  • Smith distinguishes women’s sports culture: “The ladies are smart as a whip...they seem to be a bit more unafraid to speak out about various issues.” (13:26)
  • Debate over whether the women’s team's boycott was groupthink or a political move aimed directly at Trump.

• O’Reilly-Smith Exchange on Respect for the Presidency

  • O’Reilly: “The women’s team was not respectful to the office of the presidency.” (16:28)
  • Smith: “I completely agree with you about the importance of respecting the office. I don’t want that to get lost in our back and forth. Respect the office is incredibly, incredibly important.” (17:00)
  • Smith also argues that protest and dissent are American values: “It’s not just about freedom of speech. It’s the freedom to feel the way you want to feel.” (18:27)

2. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling (20:30–22:30)

• Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to reign in President Trump’s authority on tariffs.
• O’Reilly: “Six of the Supreme Court justices wanted to reign in President Trump’s power. It’s not patently unconstitutional. [...] That was the genesis of the ruling.” (20:32)
• O’Reilly encourages reading his explanatory column for in-depth legal breakdown.

3. Iran Tensions & Prospects for War (22:31–27:56)

• Escalating Risks
  • Interview with Sina Toossi, Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy.
  • Toossi emphasizes Iran’s regime is much more entrenched than Saddam Hussein’s pre-2003 Iraq.
  • Recent attempts to target Iran’s leadership (in the “June war”) did not produce uprising or regime change.
  • Toossi: “Iran can hit back and hit back hard...it really drained a lot of American missile interceptors...The risks would be high and could really spiral into a much bigger conflict.” (24:16)
  • O’Reilly: Trump “doesn’t fear the government of Iran. [...] What they fear is that...dead Persian civilians will ignite the region, because, of course, they’ll be on television.” (25:42)
  • Toossi: Trump is positioned to negotiate a stronger deal, but warns that war could destabilize the region and lead to unpredictable consequences.
  • Toossi: “That risk of having regional spillover...should really call for sober assessments of the costs and benefits.” (27:45)

4. State of the Union Boycotts & Counter-Events (28:15–29:45)

• Multiple Democratic House members are planning to boycott the State of the Union; O’Reilly attributes their actions primarily to political funding and radical influence.
• Alternative counter-events, including “People’s State of the Union” (hosted by Joy Reid and Katie Fang) and “State of the Swamp” by defiance.org, are dismissed by O’Reilly as unserious and not a true threat to the political mainstream.

5. Mexico: Cartel Violence Following Kingpin’s Death (29:46–31:45)

• Nemesio Cervantes, “El Mencho,” was killed by Mexican armed forces, tipped off by the CIA.
• Immediate cartel retaliation: large-scale violence, burning down Puerto Vallarta.
• O’Reilly: “Right now, 62 people, and that’s probably a way low estimate, have been killed in this. We are watching it very closely.” (30:53)
• Highlights US national security risks tied to cross-border drug trafficking.

6. Miscellaneous Political Commentary (31:45–33:30)

• Commentary on New York City's snow shoveling jobs requiring ID, contrasting with voting laws—a pointed, sarcastic aside on political hypocrisy.
• Promotion of O’Reilly’s upcoming show hosting duties with a nostalgic promise to bring back elements of "The Factor."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bill O’Reilly on Nationalism and Division:
  “Our country, I don't know if it's ever going to come together again. I don't. Not in my lifetime. I don't think it will. [...] It makes me sad. It does.” (07:04)

• Stephen A. Smith on Political Expression in Sports:
  “The ladies are smart as a whip...they seem to be a bit more unafraid to speak out about various issues...” (13:26)

• On Dissent and Respect:
  O’Reilly: “I don't mind the dissent, okay? But the men's hockey team honored the country. [...] The women's team was not respectful to the office of the presidency.” (16:28)
  Smith: “I completely agree with you about the importance of respecting the office. [...] But...this is America. [...] It’s the freedom to feel the way that you want to feel.” (17:00, 18:27)

• On Iran Strategy:
  Sina Toossi: “Iran’s government...is much more entrenched and multi-layered...than, for example, Saddam Hussein’s government was in 2003.” (22:39)
  “[The] risk of having regional spillover...should really call for sober assessments of the costs and benefits.” (27:45)

• O’Reilly on Mexico’s Cartel Violence:
  “Shows you how powerful the cartels are. [...] The cartels immediately counterattack and they burned down Puerto Vallarta, which is the fourth largest tourist town in Mexico.” (30:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening/Cultural Divide in Hockey – 00:00–07:14
• Patel’s Locker Room Controversy / Media Bias / O’Reilly–Smith Debate – 07:15–17:45
• Supreme Court Tariff Decision – 20:30–22:30
• Iran Conflict Deep Dive (with Sina Toossi) – 22:31–27:56
• State of the Union Boycotts & Counter-Events – 28:15–29:45
• Cartel Violence in Mexico – 29:46–31:45

Tone & Style

O’Reilly’s presentation is blunt, irascible, and passionate with a clear patriotic perspective. The discussion with Stephen A. Smith is pointed but respectful, mixing humor and sharp debate. Guest expert Sina Toossi brings measured, in-depth geopolitical analysis.

Summary

For listeners seeking a rundown of recent headline issues—sports-fueled nationalism, gender and politics in sport, Supreme Court limitation of presidential power, the brinkmanship with Iran, and violent fallout from the Mexican drug war—O’Reilly’s episode provides passionate opinion, informed guest debate, and a mixture of current events with culture war analysis, all in his signature “No Spin” style.