The O'Reilly Update, March 16, 2026

Summary

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Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

The O'Reilly Update – March 16, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Bill O’Reilly hosts the latest O'Reilly Update, featuring a news roundup with Mike Slater and O’Reilly’s signature commentary. Key topics include tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, notable crimes and political figures, changes to citizenship renunciation fees, St. Patrick’s Day traditions, and the history of Pocahontas. The episode blends breaking news, historical anecdotes, and O’Reilly’s classic messaging for listeners seeking concise yet insightful analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Headlines with Mike Slater

00:09 – 03:03

• Iran and the Strait of Hormuz

  • U.S. Energy Secretary predicts conflict with Iran will end “in the next few weeks.”
  • Iran controls the Strait where 20% of the world’s oil passes; currently blocks American and Israeli ships.
  • U.S. only receives 2% of its oil via the Strait, but global prices are affected.
  • President urging allied nations (China, France, Japan, South Korea, UK) to send ships and counter Iran’s actions.
  • Mike Slater:
    • "The Hormu Strait will no longer be a threat by a nation that has been totally decapitated." (00:45)

• Old Dominion University Shooting

  • Arrest of Kenya Chapman in Virginia for selling a firearm to Mohammed Jala, who used it in a shooting despite prior conviction for supporting ISIS.
  • Jala was released early, should “still be in prison,” and was lawfully prohibited from having a firearm.

• Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett’s Security Scandal

  • Dallas SWAT killed Damon Mazar Robinson (aka Mike King), who was on Crockett’s security team.
  • Robinson had a criminal history and was under federal investigation for impersonating a police officer.
  • Used stolen license plates and drove a replica police car, raising questions about congressional security protocols.
  • Mike Slater:
    • "How did this guy make it on a congressperson's security team?" (01:50)

• Citizenship Renunciation Fee Reduced

  • State Department drastically reduced the cost from $2,350 to $450.
  • Slater offers a tongue-in-cheek comment:
    • "I'm okay with paying you $450 for your plane ticket if you promise to never come back." (02:32)

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2. Bill O’Reilly’s Message of the Day: St. Patrick’s Day

04:31 – 05:52

• Urges listeners to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day responsibly, warning against binge drinking:
  • "Try to avoid getting inebriated. It does you and, if you're Irish, your race no good at all. Horrible to see these young people at the parades getting sick from alcohol. I mean, it really is depressing." (04:31)
• Shares historical trivia:
  • The first St. Patrick's Day parade was in St. Augustine, Florida, 1601, not Ireland.
  • St. Patrick was English, kidnapped at 16, enslaved in Ireland, escaped, became a priest, and returned.
  • Corned beef and cabbage tradition originates from immigrant adaptation; ham was too expensive.

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3. Listener Mailbag

06:08 – 07:58

• Cartel Violence in Mexico

  • Listener considers leaving Puerto Vallarta:
    • O'Reilly’s advice: “Yeah, get out of there. There are other places to go that are much safer for you.” (06:22)

• Political Polarization

  • Clarifies that not all Democrats “hate the USA,” but attributes anti-American sentiment to the “radical left” (20-25% of Democrats).

• Economists and Tariffs

  • Briefly explains opposition comes from a pro-free market, anti-government interference stance.

• Show Announcement

  • Announces return of “The Factor” for a one-hour special on News Nation, March 4th at 8:00pm.

• Personal Touch

  • Well-wishes to a listener’s wife recovering from knee replacements and enjoying O’Reilly’s books.

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4. "Something You Might Not Know": The Story of Pocahontas

08:34 – 11:16

• On the anniversary of Pocahontas’s death, O’Reilly recounts her story:
  • Born 1595, favored daughter of a tribal chieftain.
  • Famously intervened to save Captain John Smith.
  • Eventually abducted, converted to Christianity, married John Rolfe, and traveled to England.
  • Died at 22 in London, likely from pneumonia, on March 16, 1617.
• Notable descendants include Ed Norton, Edith Wilson, Nancy Reagan, and Jimmy Carter.
• O'Reilly:
  • "More than 20,000 people can legitimately claim the Native American princess and her husband as their ancestors." (10:44)

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Notable Quotes

• On U.S. Security:

  • Mike Slater: "How did this guy make it on a congressperson's security team?" (01:50)

• On St. Patrick’s Day:

  • Bill O'Reilly: "Try to avoid getting inebriated. It does you and your—if you're Irish—your race no good at all." (04:31)

• On Political Division:

  • Bill O'Reilly: "The radical left hates the USA. And it's about 20 to 25% [of] Democrats." (06:37)

• On History:

  • Bill O'Reilly: "More than 20,000 people can legitimately claim the Native American princess and her husband as their ancestors." (10:44)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:09 – Mike Slater’s News Roundup: Iran, gun crimes, Congress security, citizenship
• 04:31 – O’Reilly’s Message: St. Patrick’s Day and drinking
• 05:11 – Historical background on St. Patrick and corned beef
• 06:08 – Listener mailbag: cartel violence, politics, tariffs, "The Factor" returns
• 08:34 – “Something You Might Not Know”: The Pocahontas story
• 10:44 – Modern descendants of Pocahontas revealed

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Memorable Moments

• Sharp critique of government oversight regarding security hires (01:50).
• O’Reilly’s personal touch in responding to listener mail, blending policy advice with personal empathy.
• Unique St. Patrick’s Day history lesson, debunking common myths.
• Engaging retelling of Pocahontas’s story, culminating in the surprising list of modern descendants.

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Summary:
This episode balances breaking news analysis with historical context and listener interaction. While Mike Slater provides a brisk survey of current crises and controversies, Bill O’Reilly delivers perennial advice and rich storytelling, rounded out by his signature, audience-focused commentary.

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Transcript

[Bill O'Reilly]

Foreign.

Here you are listening to the O'Reilly update. Coming up next, the news with Mike Slater.

[Mike Slater]

Thank you, Bill. It is Monday, March 16, 2026. Here's what's happening today in America. Burden sharing, arrest in Odu, murder, Jasmine Crockett, level security and making it easier to renounce. It's all coming up. Then Bill's gonna be here with your message of the day. But first, Energy Secretary Chris Wright was on a Sunday talk show. He said, I think that this conflict with Iran will come to an end in the next few weeks. Iran controls the straight of Hormuz. 20% of the world's oil passes through this strait and Iran had shut it down. We In America, only 2% of that oil that comes through the strait comes to the United States. So it doesn't affect our supplies, but it makes world prices go up. Now the Iranian foreign minister said the strait is open to all ships except American and and Israeli ships. So it's open. Meanwhile, the president is calling other countries to help. He said hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and others that are affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area so that the Hormu Straight will no longer be a threat by a nation that has been totally decapitated. Federal authorities arrested a man in Virginia, Kenya Chapman, charged with false statements and unlawful firearm dealing offenses because he sold Mohammed Jala A Glock.44 who went on to use it and open fired inside an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University. Muhammad was previously convicted in 2016 of giving material support to ISIS. He was sentenced to 11 years, only served seven. He should still be in prison today, but when he was released, he's still not allowed to own a gun. So the feds arrested the guy who sold him the gun. The Dallas SWAT team killed a man who is a part of the security detail for Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who of course ran for Senate in Texas. She lost the Democratic primary a week or so ago. 39 year old Damon Mazar Robinson, he went by the name Mike King, an alias. He was in a standoff with Dallas SWAT officers, went to a hospital parking garage, barricaded himself inside a vehicle, was forced out by tear gas and then pulled a gun on officers. He was on the congresswoman's security team. He was already a subject of a federal investigation, wanted for impersonating a police officer. He's also been arrested seven times for theft, multiple felony arrests. This guy drove a replica undercover police vehicle and used a license plate stolen from cars outside of a military recruitment office. How did this guy make it on a congressperson's security team? The State Department has reduced the fees that need to be paid in order to renounce your citizenship. It was $2,350. Now it's only $450. If you no longer want to be an American, if you don't want to be an American anymore, I'm okay with paying you $450 for your plane ticket if you promise to never come back. I'm Mike Slater from the podcast Politics by faith. Now on YouTube, Bill O'Reilly has your message of the day next.

[Bill O'Reilly]

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the parades getting sick from alcohol. I mean, it really is depressing.

So let's not do that. Let's have a good time on St. Patrick's Day. Here are some fun facts. So the first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1601. Wow. That's a long time ago. That's Ponce de Leon territory there. Fountain of youth. So I guess a few Irish people got together and strode around town.

Down in St. Augustine, the real St.

Patrick was born in the late 4th century. He was an Englishman. At age 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders, taken to Erie, sold as a slave and toiled as a shepherd until he was 22 years old. Then he escaped back to England, became a priest and returned to Ireland. Finally, corned beef and cabbage. It used to be ham and cabbage. But ham was too expensive for Irish immigrants in New York. So corned beef came into play.

Happy St. Pat's Day.

I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You can reach me billor.com billoriley.com name

in town if you wish to opine.

Now, let's go to the mail.

Richard I'm a premium member for many years and I live in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. Oh, uh, oh, my residence fee is going up.

It's doubled.

I feel that's unfair. And now the cartel violence, it's reached a point of no return. Yeah, get out of there. There are other places to go that are much safer for you. David, we well know and understand the vast majority of Democrats in the country hate the USA. That's not true. The radical left hates the USA. And it's about 20 to 25% Democrats. Jessica Lilly, West Palm Beach, Florida. Why are there so many economists who are anti tariff free market? They don't want the government interfering in free trade. That's the short answer. Nancy Brenflick, Prescott, Arizona. Bill, I am so looking forward to seeing The Factor on March 4th. I've watched you for many years. What a splendid idea. Splendid. Love that word, Nancy. A week from tomorrow, March 4th, News Nation, 8:00pm Cuomo's overseas.

I'm doing a full hour.

THE FACTOR returns. Boy, is that going to be an event. Mike Benoit, Sandy Springs, Georgia. Just want to let you know, my wife has two new knee replacements and while recovering, she read six of your books. Her comment was how captivating each one was when you wish your wife the best. For me, I know that knee stuff is very painful and I'm glad she's reading the books and I'm glad she likes them.

In a moment, something you might not

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[Bill O'Reilly]

Now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. 409 years ago today, a young Native American died in London, England. At the time of her death, she was using the name Rebecca Rolfe. She is better known as Pocahontas.

Here is her story.

Pocahontas, meaning the playful one, was born near the Chesapeake Bay in 1595, the favorite daughter of a tribal chieftain. The first English settlers arrived in Jamestown in May 1607. That winter, Pocahontas brother kidnapped Captain John Smith. According to Smith, his head was placed between two stones as an Indian warrior prepared to smash his skull. Pocahontas intervened, saving the captain's life. She was well regarded in Jamestown, frequently visiting the outpost and trading with the colonists. But the relationship between the tribe and the settlers quickly deteriorated. In 1613, Pocahontas was lured onto an English ship and kidnapped. She was held captive in northern Virginia by a British minister who taught her English and the Christian religion. During her imprisonment, Pocahontas met tobacco farmer John Rolfe. The two were married in 1614, then traveled to England. In London, Pocahontas was revered as a princess and referred to as Lady Rebecca. She attended plays, even was presented to the royal family. In the spring of 1617, Pocahontas, her husband and son set sail back to Virginia. She became ill, was taken ashore at Gravesend, England. On March 16th. The 22 year old died, most likely from pneumonia. And here's something else you might not know. The many descendants of Pocahontas live on both in England and America. More than 20,000 people can legitimately claim the Native American princess and her husband as their ancestors. Notable descendants, actor Ed Norton, first ladies Edith Wilson and Nancy Reagan, as well as President Jimmy Carter. Back in a moment.

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[Bill O'Reilly]

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

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