Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

The O'Reilly Update – December 5, 2025

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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.”

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)

[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)

[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)

[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.

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)

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.

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.

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.