The O'Reilly Update, February 20, 2025

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis
Episode: The O'Reilly Update, February 20, 2025
Release Date: February 20, 2025
Host: Bill O'Reilly

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1. Introduction

In the February 20, 2025 episode of "The O’Reilly Update," host Bill O’Reilly delivers a comprehensive analysis of current events, focusing on U.S. political dynamics, international relations, and domestic issues. The episode is structured to provide listeners with unfiltered facts and insights, adhering to the podcast's motto: "No Spin. Just Facts."

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2. News with Mike Slater [00:10]

A. Trump’s Stance on Ukraine Negotiations Mike Slater begins by discussing the ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine. He highlights President Donald Trump's critical view of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Biden administration's handling of the conflict.

• Trump's Critique: Slater quotes Trump’s stance, stating, “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Zelensky talked to the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won...” ([00:10]). Trump asserts that Zelensky has mismanaged Ukraine, leading to unnecessary deaths and a shattered nation.

• Negotiation with Russia: Slater emphasizes Trump’s approach to negotiating directly with Vladimir Putin: “Trump does not want to negotiate with Zelensky of Ukraine or anybody in Europe. He wants it one on one with Putin, the villain” ([04:00]).

B. Designation of Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations The State Department has officially listed several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a significant escalation in the U.S. government's efforts to combat drug trafficking and related violence.

• Cartels Designated: The designated groups include the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and others ([00:10]).

• Attorney General’s Memo: A memo titled "Total Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations" calls for a fundamental shift in strategy to more aggressively dismantle these groups ([00:10]).

C. Senate Approval of Trump’s Cabinet Slater reports that the Senate has swiftly approved 18 of Trump’s cabinet nominees in just 31 days, a stark contrast to President Biden’s pace.

• Comparison with Biden: While Trump achieved this in 31 days, Biden secured only seven cabinet approvals in the same timeframe, surpassing Obama’s record of 17 ([00:10]).

D. Championship Game Tonight An update on the upcoming championship game between Team USA and Canada is provided, highlighting the competitive spirit and potential controversies, such as audience reactions to the national anthem ([00:10]).

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3. Message of the Day with Bill O’Reilly [04:00]

Bill O’Reilly delves deeper into the Ukraine conflict, providing his perspective on the negotiations and the involved parties.

• Trump vs. Zelensky: O’Reilly asserts, “Donald Trump does not want to negotiate with Zelensky of Ukraine or anybody in Europe. He wants it one on one with Putin...” ([04:00]). He questions Zelensky’s trustworthiness and effectiveness, acknowledging Zelensky’s courage but criticizing his management of Ukraine’s affairs.

• Handling Putin: Emphasizing Trump's unique capability, O’Reilly states, “He wants to make a deal that Putin stops the invasion of Ukraine...” ([04:00]). He speculates on the potential outcomes and the complexities involved in such negotiations.

• European Involvement: O’Reilly criticizes the inclusion of European leaders in the negotiations, suggesting it dilutes Trump’s direct approach: “Why would Trump bring in the European countries for a negotiation with Bad Vlad?” ([04:00]).

• Characterizing Putin: Referring to his book "Confronting the Evil," O’Reilly labels Putin as genuinely malicious, reinforcing the gravity of the situation ([04:00]).

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4. Listener Mail Segment [04:00 - 08:24]

A. Linda’s Inquiry on Elon Musk [05:30] Linda, a concierge member, expresses her concerns about Elon Musk’s involvement in media, particularly in relation to the "Doge" project.

• O’Reilly’s Response: “I wish Elon Musk would continue doing the Doge work, but stay out of the limelight...” ([05:30]). O’Reilly agrees that Musk should maintain a lower profile to allow facts about Doge to emerge without excessive media attention.

B. James Shaw’s Question on Attorneys General [06:15] James Shaw from Las Vegas questions why Trump doesn’t dismiss state attorneys general suing him instead of addressing the legal challenges directly.

• O’Reilly’s Explanation: “Because the president can't fire state attorneys general. Feds don't have any sway over the states at all...” ([06:15]). He explains the limitations of federal authority over state officials, emphasizing the independence of state attorneys general.

C. Randall Preece’s Comparison to Nancy Pelosi [07:00] Randall Preece from Oregon City challenges O’Reilly’s previous comparison of Trump to Nancy Pelosi, asserting that such comparisons are unfounded.

• O’Reilly’s Clarification: “Well, people believe, Randall, what they want to believe... If House members and senators don't vote the way Trump wants, they could get primary.” ([07:00]). He draws parallels in political pressure tactics between Trump and Pelosi, while maintaining that overt comparisons are speculative.

• Humorous Note on Elon Musk: Randall humorously suggests Musk might buy MSNBC and have O’Reilly host a show for him, which O’Reilly dismisses: “Never happen. Not going back to the corporate media ever.” ([07:00]).

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5. Historical Insight: Immigration Laws [08:24]

Bill O’Reilly provides a historical overview of U.S. immigration policies, dating back 118 years to President Theodore Roosevelt’s legislation.

• Early Restrictions: The first federal restrictions post-Civil War aimed to exclude potential enemies, evolving in 1882 to a national origin system favoring Europeans while excluding Mexicans, Africans, and Chinese ([08:24]).

• 1907 Legislation: Roosevelt’s law explicitly banned “idiots, imbeciles, feeble minded persons and insane persons,” implicitly targeting prostitutes, drug addicts, and those with criminal records ([08:24]).

• Further Restrictions and Repeal: The 1917 and 1924 acts imposed stricter bans, including on Asians, alcoholics, illiterates, and vagrants, with an immigration head tax introduced. These racial restrictions persisted until the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 and the quota system’s abolition in 1965, leading to a significant increase in the Chinese population in the U.S. ([08:24]).

• Current Immigration Challenges: O’Reilly highlights the existing issues within the immigration system, including the legal admission of one million people annually and the ongoing influx of 15 million illegal crossings since 2020 ([08:24]).

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6. Conclusion

Bill O’Reilly wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to subscribe to the newsletter for more updates and insights, reinforcing the podcast’s commitment to delivering unvarnished facts and analysis.

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Notable Quotes:

• Trump on Zelensky and the War: “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Zelensky talked to the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won...” ([00:10])

• Trump’s Negotiation Strategy: “Donald Trump does not want to negotiate with Zelensky of Ukraine or anybody in Europe. He wants it one on one with Putin...” ([04:00])

• On Immigration Laws: “In February 1907, President Roosevelt signed new legislation. Going forward, the USA would deny idiots, imbeciles, feeble minded persons and insane persons...” ([08:24])

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This episode of "The O’Reilly Update" offers a critical examination of current U.S. political strategies, international diplomacy, and historical context, providing listeners with a detailed and fact-driven analysis of pressing issues.

Transcript

[A]

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

[B]

Thank you, bill. It's Thursday, February 20, 2025. Here's what's happening today in America. Trump on Zelinsky, cartels on the list, Cabinet almost complete and championship game tonight. It's all coming up. And Bill's going to be here with your message of the day. But first, yesterday we were talking about the American delegation meeting with the delegation from Russia in Saudi Arabia to end the war with Ukraine. Well, the media is saying that some European leaders are complaining that they weren't at the table. Trump said at a press conference, you had three years at the table and you haven't ended this war yet. Trump wrote a long post on Truth Social, just part of it. Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Zelensky talked to the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won, that never had to start, but a war that he without the US And Trump will never be able to settle. He ended the post saying, in the meantime, we're successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia, something all admit only Trump and the Trump administration can do. Biden never tried, Europe's failed to bring peace and Zelensky probably wants to keep the gravy train going. I love Ukraine, but Zelensky has done a terrible job. His country is shattered and millions have unnecessarily died. And so it continues. Yesterday we reported that the CIA has been flying drones well into Mexican airspace. Now the State Department has officially designated specific cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Trende Aragua, Mississippi, 13 the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco, New Generation Cartel, United Cartels, Northeast Cartel, Gulf Cartel, and the Micho Khan family. On February 5, the Attorney General wrote a memo entitled Total Elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations. The memo says this policy requires a fundamental change in mindset and approach. We must do more than try to mitigate the enormous harms these groups cause in America. It is not enough to stem the tide of deadly poisons such as fentanyl that these groups distribute to our homeland. The Senate has now approved 18 of Trump's cabinet members in 31 days. Biden at this point only had seven cabinet members approved, even outpacing Obama, who had 17. At the same amount of time, it took the Democratic majority 56 days to approve 18 members of Biden's cabinet. So Senate Republicans did a good job. Cash Patel's vote is today, but Technically, he's not in the Cabinet. The four nation face off comes down to tonight, the championship game. Team USA verse Canada ESPN. A couple days ago, America beat Canada 3 to 1 in Canada. Tonight's game 8:00 Eastern in Boston. We'll see if the Canadian fans dare boo our national anthem again. I'm Mike Slater. Bill O'Reilly with your message of the day next.

[A]

President Trump's victory is a win for America. That's what most voters think. But bidenomics has left us with a failing economy. I rely on American Hartford Gold to protect my savings with physical gold and silver. And you should consider that American Hartford Gold has thousands of five star ratings and an A plus from the Better Business Bureau. A tax advantage gold IRA can shield you from worsening inflation. You can even roll over your 401k or IRA tax free and penalty free. So act now before it's too late. Call or text American Hartford Gold. Tell them Bill O'Reilly sent you for up to $15,000 of free silver on qualifying orders. Call 877444 gold or tax gold to 65532. That's 877444 gold or Tex Gold to 65532. Time now for the O'Reilly update message of the day on this Thursday. Are you ready for some truth? Well, if you're not, turn the radio off right now. But here is the truth about the Ukraine war negotiations. Number one, Donald Trump does not want to negotiate with Zelensky of Ukraine or anybody in Europe. He wants it one on one with Putin, the villain. And that's what he's getting right now. He wants to make a deal that Putin stops the invasion of Ukraine. I don't know what the deal will be. I do know that Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, is not going to like the deal. And Trump knows that. Trump does not trust Zelensky. I have no idea. I don't know whether Zelenskyy is an honest man or not. I give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he's a courageous man, Zelensky, but I know Trump doesn't have any regard for him as far as Europe is concerned. Why would Trump bring in the European countries for a negotiation with Bad Vlad? There was an article in the Wall Street Journal that said, hey, Trump is mainstreaming evil Putin. It's true. Putin is really evil. He's on the COVID of my book Confronting the Evil. But Trump is softening him up. He wants a deal and I think Trump's going to get it. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You you can reach me bill o'reilly.com [e-mail] name in town if you wish to opine. Let's go to the mail. We got Linda, concierge member. Linda, got access to me and my gang and we'll help you, Linda, if anything bad happens to you. I wish Elon Musk would continue doing the Doge work, but stay out of the limelight. No press conferences where he's the main speaker. Okay, I agree. The lower profile and the more facts that come out about Doge and what it uncovered, the better, in my opinion. I'm with you, Linda. James shaw, Las Vegas Hey, Bill, instead of Trump dealing with all these attorneys general suing him, why doesn't he just clean house and fire them? Because the president can't fire state attorneys general. Feds don't have any sway over the states at all. I mean, investigate them if they commit federal crimes, but that's it. Randall Preece, Oregon City, Oregon on the not news the other day, I felt you talked about President Trump in a manner that compared him to Nancy Pelosi. I would like to believe there is no comparison. Well, people believe, Randall, what they want to believe. But Nancy Pelosi said to her constituents in the House of Representatives, if you don't vote my way will primary you. Donald Trump has not said that outwardly, but the message is clear. If House members and senators don't vote the way Trump wants, they could get primary. You make the call. This goes right back to the top. I got to tell you the truth, and I will, Bill. Elon Musk is buying MSNBC and you, O'Reilly, will host a program for him. Never happen. Not going back to the corporate media ever. In a moment, something you might not know.

[C]

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[A]

Now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. 118 years ago today, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a new law banning most migrants from the USA included on that banned list. Idiots and imbeciles. Here is the story. The first federal law restricting foreigners was enacted after the Civil War. The statute banned the entry of potential enemies to the USA. In 1882, the rules were changed to limit migrants based on national origin system favored people from England, Scandinavia, Germany. Undesirables included Mexicans, Africans and Chinese. However, too many dubious individuals were still entering the United States. At least that's what the feds thought. So in February 1907, President Roosevelt signed new legislation. Going forward, the USA would deny idiots, imbeciles, feeble minded persons and insane persons. Though not specifically mentioned, the law also banned prostitutes, drug addicts and anyone who spent time in a mental asylum or prison. Ten years later, Congress imposed even more restrictions. Nearly all Asians were denied. The ban included alcoholics, illiterates, paupers, polygamists and vagrants. The bill also imposed an immigration head tax of $8 a person. So you had to buy your way in here if you qualified. And here's something else you might not know. These laws remained in place for 35 years. The Immigration and Naturalization act of 1952 officially eliminated racial restrictions. The USA abandoned the quota system in 1965. As a result, the Chinese population in America doubled within five years. Today, our immigration system is a mess. One million people are legally allowed into the country each year. That figure includes family members of green card holders, refugees, asylum seekers and employment based scholarships. Another 50,000 are admitted using a visa lottery. They're chosen at random. Meantime, 15 million people have illegally crossed into the USA since 2020. Back after this. Please subscribe to our newsletter on billoriley.com Keep track of all things O'Reilly. That's me. Like the message of the day, my column, the no Spin news, and much more. When you sign up for our [e-mail], it's free. You'll get emails letting you know what is going on and you won't miss a thing. Thank you for listening to the O'Reilly update. I am Bill O'Reilly. No spin, just facts. And always looking out for you.