The O'Reilly Update, December 5, 2025

Summary

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Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

The O'Reilly Update – December 5, 2025

Main Theme

This episode delivers a concise update on major national news stories—crime, government, foreign policy, economics—with Bill O’Reilly’s signature commentary and historical reflections. Key topics tackled include the arrest in the 2021 pipe bomb investigation, a military controversy in Congress, a Trump-brokered peace deal in Africa, new economic data, the challenge of press standards, and a historical segment on George Washington's presidency. O’Reilly’s “Message of the Day” brings a satirical take on Santa’s global delivery woes, and listener mail provides a deep dive into the roots of “fake news.”

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

[00:39] News Roundup with Mike Slater

• Pipe Bomber Arrested, Nearly 5 Years Later

  • FBI arrests Brian Cole Jr. for the January 5, 2021 RNC and DNC pipe bombings.
  • "Court documents revealed that bank records showing purchases of pipe bomb material and cell phone tower data were used to identify BUR Brian Cole Jr." (00:58)
  • Cole is the son of a bail bondsman known for freeing illegal immigrants and suing the Trump administration.

• Military Briefings on Drone Strike

  • Admiral Frank Bradley briefs Congress on a controversial September 2nd drone attack in the Caribbean.
  • Reference to the “seditious six,” lawmakers who made dubious claims urging the armed forces to resist “unlawful orders.”
  • War crime allegations spark debate. Senator Tom Cotton claimed, "I did not see anything disturbing about the video," (01:54) while Democrat Rep. Jim Himes stated, "I reviewed the video and it's deeply, deeply troubling." (02:09)

• Trump Peace Summit

  • President Trump hosts Congo and Rwanda presidents to sign the Washington Accords, ending decades of conflict and “more than 10 million people killed.” (02:19)
  • Trump remarked, "In this holy season, we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace... a historic agreement that will end one of the longest-running conflicts anywhere in the world." (02:26)

• Economic Good News

  • 30-year mortgage rates down to 6.19%.
  • U.S. jobless claims at 191,000, lowest since Nov 2022.
  • Black Friday–Cyber Monday shopping soars: "A record 203 million shoppers," breaking previous records. (02:51)

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[04:04] Message of the Day – Bill O’Reilly’s Satirical Santa Commentary

• Santa’s 2025 Struggles: Global and Domestic Challenges
  • O’Reilly lampoons geopolitical and bureaucratic obstacles facing Santa Claus:
    • U.S. tariffs and North Pole import duties.
    • Potential Russian drone strikes: “Putin might drone him bad. Vlad is not exactly a Christmas kind of guy. He’s all naughty.” (04:17)
    • Chinese scrutiny: “No knives in China. Santa's sled will be thoroughly searched and detention always a possibility.” (04:25)
    • New York congestion pricing and activist demands for “free sleigh rides.”
    • California’s wildfires and Mexico’s cartels threatening to “kidnap Rudolph.”
    • Political potholes: “Chuck Schumer will not like that” if Santa wears his red suit. (05:13)
  • Satirical wrap: “So this is a very challenging year for Santa, especially if he wears that red suit.” (05:13)

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[06:00] Listener Mail & Press Standards Discussion

• Question on Congressional Oversight of Press

  • Suggestion that “Congress needs to set standards about reporting news, and the Supreme Court needs to support that.”
  • O’Reilly rebuts: “Never going to happen. The founding fathers did not want politicians involved in the free press. And even though the free press is corrupt, that's not going to change. It's constitutional—First Amendment.” (06:26)

• Benjamin Franklin and ‘Fake News’

  • A listener questions whether Franklin spread false stories.
  • O’Reilly describes Franklin inventing “fake news”:
    • “Benjamin Franklin set up a phony newspaper… that attacked King George and all the Tories in America.”
    • As a teen in Boston, Franklin wrote fictional gossip columns under the pseudonym Silence Dogood: “He just made up this gossip and threw it out and became the most popular column in Boston in the early 1700s. So he was the originator of fake news.” (07:21)

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[08:36] “Something You Might Not Know”: George Washington’s Second Term

• Historic Electoral Victory

  • 233 years ago, George Washington was unanimously re-elected President.
  • Washington considered retirement, influenced by wife Martha’s wishes.
  • Thomas Jefferson is quoted: “The north and south will hang together if they have George Washington to hang on to.” (09:28)
  • John Adams wins the Vice Presidency, foregrounding the succession question.

• Birth of Party Politics

  • Federalists (strong government) vs. Democratic-Republicans (states' rights).
  • Key unresolved issues: slavery, national bank, relations with Europe, taxation, national vs. state militias.

• Enduring Precedent

  • O’Reilly notes, “In 1797, George Washington retired after two terms, starting a historical precedent… until World War II.” (11:00)
  • Franklin Roosevelt’s four terms and the later constitutional amendment capping presidents at two.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mike Slater:

  • “The FBI has arrested almost five years later a suspect in the pipe bombs that were planted at the RNC and DNC.” (00:50)
  • “A record 203 million shoppers turned out from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday… breaks the all-time record from 2023.” (02:51)

• Bill O’Reilly (Santa Satire):

  • “Putin might drone him bad. Vlad is not exactly a Christmas kind of guy. He’s all naughty.” (04:17)
  • “Chuck Schumer will not like that” [Santa’s red suit]. (05:13)
  • “Benjamin Franklin set up a phony newspaper… the originator of fake news.” (07:21)

• Listener Mail on Press Standards:

  • O'Reilly: “Never going to happen... First Amendment.” (06:26)

• Thomas Jefferson (quoted):

  • “The north and south will hang together if they have George Washington to hang on to.” (09:28)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:39] – News with Mike Slater: Arrests, military briefings, Trump peace accords, economic data.
• [04:04] – O’Reilly “Message of the Day”: Santa’s delivery obstacles.
• [06:00] – Listener Mail: Congress and the press, Franklin and fake news.
• [08:36] – Historical Segment: Washington’s second term and two-term precedent.

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Tone and Style

• O’Reilly’s tone remains sardonic, especially during the Santa segment, using wry humor to comment on current events.
• News delivery is factual and brisk, presented in Slater’s headline roundup style.
• Listener mail invites more candid, pointed analysis, while the historical segment takes on a didactic, storytelling quality.

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Summary

In this episode of “The O’Reilly Update,” listeners receive the no-spin treatment on breaking news—a high-profile arrest in a five-year-old political bombing case, a military-ethics controversy, major economic milestones, and a rare presidential peace agreement abroad. O’Reilly’s satirical “Santa update” lampoons the intersection of global politics and holiday tradition. The mailbag segment drills into freedom of the press and the real roots of “fake news,” with Benjamin Franklin cast as America’s original media trickster. The show wraps with a brisk, engaging retelling of George Washington’s re-election and its impact on America’s evolving political system.

For listeners who missed the episode, the mix of hard news, historic insight, and O’Reilly’s irreverent commentary is kept brisk, pointed, and never short on opinion.

Transcript

[A]

What do you think makes the perfect snack?

[B]

Hmm. It's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[A]

Could you be more specific?

[B]

When it's cravinient.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. p.m.

[A]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[B]

Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.

[A]

Crave, which is anything from AM PM.

[B]

What more could you want?

[C]

Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM P M. Too much. Good stuff.

[A]

Bill O'Reilly here. You are listening to the O'Reilly Update. Coming up next, the News with Mike Slater.

[D]

Thank you, Bill. It is Friday, December 5, 2025. Here's what's happening today in America. Pipe bomber arrested admiral to Capitol Hill, the Trump peace summit and big economy news. It's all coming up. Then Bill's going to be here with your message of the day. But first, the FBI has arrested almost five years later a suspect in the pipe bombs that were planted at the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021. Investigators later determined that these were viable explosives that if detonated, could have resulted in serious injury or death. The FBI offered a reward of half a million dollars to anyone who provided information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Court documents revealed that bank records showing purchases of pipe bomb material and cell phone tower data were used to identify BUR Brian Cole Jr. He worked for a bail bond company run by his father that worked to free illegal immigrants from ICE facilities and also sued the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security. More information on Brian Cole Jr. Surely to come. Navy Admiral Frank Bradley went to Capitol Hill last night to brief lawmakers in the House and the Senate about details of a September 2nd attack on a truck boat in the Caribbean. Now, the background to this is do you remember the seditious six? These are congressmen and senators who made a video telling service members to not obey unlawful orders. And when they were asked what unlawful orders and they had no answer, the media was there to cover for them. And they went back to September 2, a drone strike on a drug trafficking boat where there were reportedly two survivors. After the initial strike and another strike was ordered. The left has been claiming war crimes to try to get Pete Hegseth to no longer be the secretary of war. Senator Tom Cotton said he did not see anything disturbing about the video. He said the operation was witnessed by hundreds of uniformed and civilian personnel, including dozens of lawyers at the Pentagon, Fort Bragg and other outposts. Congressman Himes, Democrat from Connecticut, said. I reviewed the video and it's deeply, deeply troubling. President Trump met with the President of the Congo and the President of Rwanda where they signed a historic peace agreement with called the Washington Accords to bring an end to a decades long conflict between these two countries. The president said, in this holy season, we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. We have come to the US Institute of Peace to sign a historic agreement that will end one of the longest running conflicts anywhere in the world. With Far more than 10 million people killed, the average rate on a 30 year mortgage fell this week. Average is now 6.19%. U.S. jobless claims fell to 191,000. That's the lowest since November of 2022. People are spending a lot of money. A record 203 million shoppers turned out from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. That's up from 197 million shoppers last year and breaks the all time record from 2023. I'm Mike Slater. From the podcast Politics by faith, Bill O'Reilly has your message of the day next.

[C]

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[A]

Time now for the O'Reilly update message of the day on this Friday. Christmas less than three weeks away and Santa Claus really up against it this year for sure. He absolutely cannot deliver gifts without a strategy. First the elves have to figure out the tariff situation in the USA since the North Pole is subject to import duties. What a nightmare that will be if St. Nick goes the other way. Putin might drone him bad. Vlad is not exactly a Christmas kind of guy. He's all naughty. No knives in China. Santa's sled will be thoroughly searched and detention always a possibility. Cuba too. These commies are not big fans of the Baby Jesus in New York City. Santa will run into congestion pricing. And Mamdani, who could demand that Santa Claus give free sleigh rides to the public. That would take a lot of time. So it'll be interesting to see if Santa negotiates the Big Apple. How about California. Well, if the jolly guy flies there, it might be hard to figure out exactly whose house has not been burned to the ground. And let's not even talk about Mexico, where the drug cartel thugs might kidnap Rudolph. I wouldn't count on Presidente Scheinbaum getting him released anytime soon. So this is a very challenging year for Santa, especially if he wears that red suit. Chuck Schumer will not like that. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You can reach me billoriley.com [e-mail] name in town if you wish to opine. Now, let's go to the mail. Norman, concierge member. Norman gets direct access to me and my crew. We will help Norman. If he needs any help at all, we're there. Concierge, remember billor.com great Christmas gift. Congress needs to set standards about reporting news, and the Supreme Court needs to support that. Never going to happen. The founding fathers did not want politicians involved in the free press. And even though the free press is corrupt, that's not going to change. It's constitutional First Amendment. Charles. Bill, perhaps you could provide some examples of fake news told by Benjamin Franklin. This was in my message of the day. I hope you read it every day. I seriously doubt that Franklin's reporting about the king's tyranny was based on anything other than firsthand knowledge and experience by himself and other colonists. Well, you're seriously wrong.

What can I say? What can I say, Charles? Benjamin Franklin set up a phony newspaper.

All right, that attacked King George and all the Tories in America that supported him. The newspaper really didn't exist. They just started to quote from a phony newspaper. And when he was in Boston as a teenager, Benjamin Franklin wrote a column for the Boston paper under a pseudonym. Silence. Do good. Silence. Do good. Okay. And it was all a bunch of bull. He just made up this gossip and threw it out and became the most popular column in Boston in the early 1700s. So he was the originator of fake news. Benjamin Franklin, in a moment, something you might not know.

[E]

Hey, it's Sean Spicer reminding you to tune into the Sean Spicer show every weeknight right here. You're not going to want to miss our analysis. Whether it's the media, politics, campaigns, the upcoming midterms, Supreme Court rulings. We've got it all covered for you with the best guests in politics, the pundits, the pollsters, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Senate, candidates running for both, and key members of President Trump's administration. You're not going to want to miss it.

[A]

Now, the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. 233 years ago today, George Washington was unanimously selected by the Electoral College for a second term as president of the United States. His victory ended one of the most consequential campaigns in American history. Here is the story. Washington considered retirement after his first term. Martha, his wife, did not like him being president. She wanted to go back to Mount Vernon, Virginia, where she had a big plantation and George was rode around on his horse. That's what Martha wanted. And Martha was a very big factor in Washington's decision making. George also feared that the new republic was shaky, so he was convinced by close associates to serve another four years. Martha didn't like it, said Thomas Jefferson, quote, the north and south will hang together if they have George Washington to hang on to, unquote. Washington's victory was inevitable, but the true contest was for vice president. With 77 electoral votes, John Adams was selected, making him a likely successor as commander in chief. But the real lesson of the 1792 election was the growing divide in American politics and the emergence of a two party system. The Federalists supported a strong central government, while the Democrat Republicans favored states rights. With the population divided, the young America split on key issues. Slavery, creation of a federal bank, relations with England and France, taxation, the maintenance of a national army. Some people didn't want that. They wanted state militias. And here's something else you might not know. In 1797, George Washington retired from the presidency after two terms, starting a historical precedent that continued until World War II. In 1940, Franklin Roosevelt was elected to a third term. In 44, FDR won a fourth time. Seven years later, however, Congress formalized Washington's two term philosophy. Back in a moment.

Thank you for listening to the O'Reilly update. I am Bill O'Reilly. No spin, just facts. And always looking out for you.

[F]

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[A]

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