The O’Reilly Update — January 12, 2026

Podcast: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into several pressing news items including the ongoing Iranian uprising, recent high-tech U.S. military operations, a medical emergency aboard the International Space Station, President Trump's call for capping credit card interest rates, and an analysis of President Trump's communication tactics. Bill O’Reilly also responds to listener mail and provides a deeper look at post-wildfire recovery efforts in California.

Key News Items and Political Analysis

1. Iranian Uprising Intensifies

[00:10–01:40]

• The Iranian regime—led by the 86-year-old Ayatollah—has shut off internet access nationwide following mass protests caused by severe economic hardship, including:
  • Electricity and water shortages
  • 50% inflation
  • Hundreds reported killed by the regime over two weeks
• Trump responded with:
  • “Iran is looking at freedom perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help.”
  • He warns, “If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts... That doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.” (Mike Slater, quoting Trump, [00:41])
• U.S. military capability is highlighted: B-2 bombers, submarine-launched cruise missiles.

2. Alleged High-Tech U.S. Operation in Venezuela

[01:41–02:36]

• White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt shared a dramatic account from a purported security guard for Maduro, during his capture:
  • Radar systems disabled, followed by drone and helicopter assaults
  • 20 U.S. soldiers eliminated “hundreds” of defenders, using precision weaponry and possible “intense sound wave” technology, incapacitating opposition with no U.S. casualties
  • Memorable narrative: “We were hundreds but we had no chance... I swear I’ve never seen anything like it.” (Alleged account, [01:50])
• The segment heavily implies continuing American superiority in military technology.

3. Space Crew Brought Home Early

[02:36–02:58]

• After a medical emergency on January 7, NASA decides for the first time ever to bring an ISS crew home early for health reasons
  • Crew will return via SpaceX Dragon capsule; landing expected the following morning

4. Political Push to Cap Credit Card Interest Rates

[02:58–03:02]

• President calls on credit card companies to cap interest rates at 10% for one year
  • Direct criticism of previous administration: “...companies that are charging interest rates of 20 to 30% and even more, which festered unimpeded during the sleepy Joe Biden administration.”
  • Awaiting response from credit card companies

The O’Reilly Message of the Day: Trump as "Bear-Baiter"

[03:33–05:00]

• Main Theme: O’Reilly characterizes Donald Trump’s public persona as someone who deliberately goads and provokes his critics, especially the media.
• Reference to historical bear-baiting: “The dastardly King Henry VIII championed the bear pit... Bears would be chained up and dogs let loose to bite them, enraging the bears.”
• O’Reilly’s Analysis:
  • Trump’s modern “bear-baiting” involves making provocative statements (e.g., “Canada will be the 51st state,” “D Day will take place in Greenland”) to agitate the media.
  • Per O’Reilly, “The president well understands the media will historically report every provocative thing he says. ... This is amusing to the president. Meantime, nothing is really accomplished by the media.” (Bill O’Reilly, [04:05])
• Notable analogy: The media is caught in the same trap as Charlie Brown trying to kick the football.

Listener Mail & Commentary

1. Federal-State Jurisdiction on Daycare Fraud (Minneapolis)

[05:10–05:40]

• Question: Why didn’t the Department of Justice (DOJ) uncover daycare fraud in Minneapolis?
• O’Reilly: “Because DOJ is a federal agency and those daycare scams are state. The Fed sent the money, but then once the money gets to the states, the states are responsible for it.”

2. Vaccines Policy Impact (Chile and Global)

[05:41–06:25]

• Question: A Chilean doctor implicates U.S. vaccine policy for increased disease and child mortality.
• O’Reilly:
  • Pushes back: “What does Trump have to do with [Chile buying its own vaccines]? ... Now Trump doesn't care one way or the other about the vaccines. ... That's Bobby Kennedy. But ... countries got to start to be self-sufficient, in my opinion.” (Bill O'Reilly, [06:18])
• Points out U.S. humanitarian aid is mostly focused on Africa.

3. Misinformation in Modern Media

[06:26–07:10]

• Listener praise for O’Reilly’s factual reporting and concern about rampant misinformation.
• O’Reilly: “No standards at all. None. No standards. People say whatever they want to say. ... Now when I came up, I made a mistake, I got called out.” (Bill O’Reilly, [07:00])

Wildfire Recovery in California: “Something You Might Not Know”

[07:15–09:20]

• One-year anniversary of Governor Newsom’s executive order to rebuild Los Angeles after catastrophic wildfires
  • January 2025 wildfires killed 400, evacuated 200,000, destroyed 18,000 homes, and caused $10B in damage
  • Issues blamed on local governance: nonfunctioning hydrants, empty reservoirs, broken fire trucks
• Newsom’s statement:
  • “We want to fast track by eliminating any CEQA requirements. I got coastal act changes that we're making. ... I want to make sure when someone rebuilds that they have their old property tax assessments...” (Governor Newsom, [08:54])
• O’Reilly’s assessment:
  • “12 months later ... Less than a third of the residents have been able to rebuild. ... New rules from Sacramento also require each home to be built with green energy guidelines. The laws can increase cost up to 33%. The result, the average price for a new home in Los Angeles is $800 per square foot. Astronomical.” (Bill O'Reilly, [09:30])
  • A modest two-bedroom now costs nearly $2 million.

Notable Quotes

• On Trump and the media:
  • “The president well understands the media will historically report every provocative thing he says... This is amusing to the president.” — Bill O’Reilly [04:05]
• On misinformation:
  • “No standards at all. None. No standards. People say whatever they want to say.” — Bill O’Reilly [07:00]
• On U.S. military tech (alleged Venezuelan account):
  • “We were hundreds but we had no chance... The Americans without a single casualty killed hundreds of us. We had no way to compete with their technology. I swear I've never seen anything like it.” — Quoted by Mike Slater [01:55]
• On California’s rebuilding regulations:
  • “The laws can increase cost up to 33%. The result, the average price for a new home in Los Angeles is $800 per square foot. Astronomical.” — Bill O’Reilly [09:30]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:10] Global news headlines with Mike Slater
• [01:40] Trump’s warning on Iran
• [01:58] High-tech U.S. military action in Venezuela recounted
• [02:36] ISS medical emergency/crew return
• [02:58] President calls for interest rate cap
• [03:33] O’Reilly’s Message of the Day: Trump as “bear-baiter”
• [05:10] Listener mail: DOJ and daycare fraud
• [05:41] Listener mail: Vaccines and international aid
• [06:26] Listener mail: Misinformation in the media
• [07:15] “Something You Might Not Know”: California wildfire recovery
• [08:54] Newsom’s executive order, rebuilding issues
• [09:27] Summary of rebuilding costs and consequences

Tone and Observations

• Direct, unvarnished, and somewhat sardonic. O’Reilly mixes blunt critique (of both politicians and the media), dry historical allusions, and skeptical commentary on government effectiveness.
• Underlying skepticism of bureaucratic efficacy (both federal and state), media standards, and government intervention in the private market.

This episode was packed with urgent news, pointed analysis, and a skeptical review of both political theatrics and governmental competence at home and abroad.