Podcast Summary: The O’Reilly Update, December 15, 2025

Host: Bill O’Reilly
Guest News Anchor: Mike Slater
Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode presents a concise rundown of recent major news stories—focusing on international and domestic crises—followed by Bill O’Reilly’s commentary on the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and his mailbag responses on religion, immigration, and history. The episode closes with a "Something You Might Not Know" segment on Sitting Bull’s legacy. True to the “No Spin” motto, O'Reilly delivers direct opinions and corrections, interspersed with listener questions.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Top News Stories (with Mike Slater, 00:39–03:33)

• Fatal Ambush in Syria

  • Two U.S. soldiers and one interpreter killed, three other service members injured by a likely ISIS attacker.
  • Marked as first U.S. combat deaths since President Trump’s return to the Oval Office.
  • New Syrian president, a former al Qaeda member, seen as an attempted modernizer. The U.S. administration is reconsidering trust after the attack.
  • Quote:
    “These are the first combat deaths since President Trump returned to the Oval Office.” — Mike Slater [01:08]
  • Promise of "very serious retaliation."

• Ivy League Shooting at Brown University

  • Two students killed, nine injured in a campus building; police conduct massive search.
  • All victims identified as Brown University students.
  • Quote:
    “There was another mass shooting... police officers swarmed the streets in and around Brown shining flashlights into parked cars, searching for this murderer.” — Mike Slater [01:49]

• Terror Attack in Sydney, Australia

  • Sixteen killed on Bondi Beach during a Jewish celebration marking the first day of Hanukkah.
  • Attack believed targeted at the Jewish community, attributed to a father and son duo (one killed, one in custody).
  • Quote:
    “This was an attack designed to target Sydney's Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah.” — Mike Slater [02:13]

• DoorDash Incident in Indiana

  • Delivery driver arrested for pepper-spraying a food order, resulting in customer illness; driver claims she was killing a spider.
  • Police dismiss the excuse as implausible due to cold weather.

2. O’Reilly’s Message of the Day: Trump and the 2026 Midterms (04:35–05:50)

• Trump’s Role in Republican Campaigns
  • O’Reilly notes Trump’s direct involvement and unchanged campaign style, comparing 2026 midterms to 2018 when Republicans lost the House.
  • Quote:
    “Donald Trump believes that he and only him can drive people to the midterm voting precincts, that the individual candidates are not going to do that.” — Bill O’Reilly [05:13]
  • No major policy specificity provided at Trump’s latest rally.

3. Mailbag Responses (05:51–10:17)

• Christianity, NGOs, and Immigration
  • Listener John accuses the Catholic Church of scamming taxpayers via NGOs aiding illegal immigrants.
    • O’Reilly rebuts as “propaganda,” asserting Christian theology compels aid to the needy, irrespective of nationality.
    • Quote:
      “The theology of Christianity does not distinguish about passports. If you are in dire trouble, if you are a Christian, you are compelled to help.” — Bill O’Reilly [07:34]
  • Listener Jason comments on Senator Mark Kelly being angling for a 2028 presidential run.
    • O’Reilly responds that the analysis is interesting and plausible.
  • Listener Dan questions historical accuracy regarding Puritans vs. Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving.
    • O’Reilly corrects Dan, explaining naming conventions and the history behind the terms.
    • Quote:
      “So the word pilgrim was only incorporated 10 years after the Puritans decided to leave England and come to the New World. There were no Pilgrims landing in Plymouth. They were Puritans, separatists.” — Bill O’Reilly [09:37]

4. “Something You Might Not Know” – Sitting Bull (11:34–13:52)

• Overview of Sitting Bull’s life, resistance against U.S. forces, Battle of Little Bighorn, and his disputed burial site.
• Connection to O’Reilly’s book Killing Crazy Horse.
• Quote:
  “Police were dispatched to arrest the chief. Well, someone fired a gun at the authorities. They retaliated by shooting Sitting Bull in the chest. The 59 year old was killed instantly.” — Bill O’Reilly [13:07]
• The exact location of Sitting Bull’s grave remains a mystery.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mike Slater on Sydney attack:
  “The victims range from ages 10 to 87. A door dash driver in Indiana has been arrested...” [02:57] — showcasing the emotional weight and rapid news transitions.

• Bill O’Reilly’s direct correction to a listener:
  “Dan, I hate to break this to you because I like you, but your information is ridiculous.” [09:20] — illustrating his trademark bluntness.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Top News with Mike Slater: 00:39–03:33
• Message of the Day (Trump & 2026): 04:35–05:50
• Mailbag (Religion, Immigration, History): 05:51–10:17
• Sitting Bull Segment: 11:34–13:52

Tone and Language

Bill O’Reilly and Mike Slater maintain a brisk, no-nonsense delivery, blending hard news with direct, sometimes humorous commentary. O’Reilly’s responses to listener mail are frank, corrective, and often tinged with personal observations.

Summary

This O’Reilly Update swiftly covers key international and domestic crises, analyzes political strategies leading up to the 2026 midterms, and features O’Reilly’s trademark no-spin engagement with audience questions—culminating in an informative historical recount of Sitting Bull’s legacy. The episode exemplifies the podcast’s commitment to “just facts,” sprinkled with O’Reilly’s signature directness and occasional confrontation of misinformation.