O’Reilly Update Morning Edition — December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this brief morning update, Bill O’Reilly scrutinizes the Trump administration’s latest media engagement, focusing on Chief of Staff Susie Wiles granting access to Vanity Fair and the backlash that followed. O’Reilly also touches on the persistent adversarial relationship between the media and President Trump, drawing historical lessons about political communication and media strategy. The episode wraps with a quick mention of overlooked economic news and his signature warning about repeating mistakes from the past.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Perennial Challenge of Managing Media Access (00:09–01:04)

• O’Reilly’s Analytical Approach:
  O’Reilly describes his ongoing analysis of the Trump administration as “a non stop assignment,” emphasizing Trump’s ceaseless, action-oriented presidency with “very little downtime.”

• Questioning Strategy:
  O’Reilly expresses confusion about why the administration “walks on the wild side” by allowing access to media figures and outlets that he views as inherently adversarial.

• Susie Wiles and Vanity Fair:
  Chief of Staff Susie Wiles granted Vanity Fair, described as a “showbiz glitz publication,” access to the White House. O’Reilly points out that Vanity Fair “has to lean left if it wants access to Hollywood players,” implying a natural opposition to the Trump administration.

  “Why the latest perplexity is chief of Staff Susie Wiles giving access to Vanity Fair magazine based in LA. Vanity Fair is essentially a showbiz glitz publication that has to lean left…”
  — Bill O'Reilly [00:09–00:55]

2. Media Bias and the Trump Administration (01:04–01:32)

• Predictable Outcomes:
  O’Reilly notes that since “President Trump is not liberal and showbiz types mostly loathe him,” it is unsurprising that the resulting Vanity Fair piece on Wiles “is unfavorable to the Trump crew.”

  “Predictably, the Vanity Fair piece on Ms. Wiles is unfavorable to the Trump crew. The White House response is that quotes are taken out of context.”
  — Bill O'Reilly [01:14–01:28]

• Media Response:
  The White House asserts that the story’s quotes were taken out of context—a claim O’Reilly finds plausible but ultimately dismisses as irrelevant because “the salacious stuff is all over the media” regardless.

  “Not hard to believe, but so what? The salacious stuff is all over the media.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [01:28–01:32]

3. The Enduring Media–Trump Feud and Ignored Economic News (01:32–01:52)

• Distraction and Narrative Warfare:
  While “a decent November economic report is ignored,” O’Reilly predicts that “the media Trump war will continue for the next three years and beyond.” He suggests this adversarial cycle benefits no one fully but is inescapable.

  “A decent November economic report is ignored. The media Trump war will continue for the next three years and beyond. No one will win definitively.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [01:32–01:44]

• Historical Warning:
  O’Reilly closes the core commentary with a warning:

  “But those who do not learn from the past will absolutely lose.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [01:50–01:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Highlighting Liberal/Conservative Tensions:

  “Fun fact. President Trump is not liberal and showbiz types mostly loathe him.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [01:04–01:13]

• Media Strategy Skepticism:

  “Why the latest perplexity is chief of Staff Susie Wiles giving access to Vanity Fair… it embraces liberalism with enthusiasm.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [00:09–01:04]

• Cycle of Conflict:

  “No one will win definitively. But those who do not learn from the past will absolutely lose.”
  — Bill O’Reilly [01:44–01:52]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:09–00:55 — O’Reilly questions the Trump administration’s media strategy and the logic behind allowing Vanity Fair’s access.
• 01:04–01:28 — Analysis of the magazine’s predictable negative portrayal and the White House’s defense.
• 01:32–01:52 — Reflection on the ongoing media–Trump battle and overlooked economic positives.
• 01:52 — O’Reilly’s admonition about ignoring historical lessons.

Conclusion

Bill O’Reilly’s morning edition presents a pointed critique of the Trump administration’s approach to hostile media, using the Vanity Fair incident as an example of avoidable missteps. He underscores the entrenched and unresolvable conflict between Trump and mainstream media while lamenting the neglect of substantive economic news. The episode, in classic O’Reilly fashion, encourages listeners to heed the lessons of history in political and media strategy.