The O'Reilly Update, October 22, 2025

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

The O'Reilly Update – October 22, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Bill O'Reilly and news contributor Mike Slater deliver key updates on major national and international events, including the US vice president's trip to Israel, new immigration enforcement policies, SNAP funding concerns during a government shutdown, and a high-profile jewelry heist in Paris. O'Reilly's "Message of the Day" challenges characterizations of Trump as a monarch, discusses constitutional checks on executive power, and answers a listener's question about press access and free speech rights. The episode also revisits the final Trump–Biden debate of 2020, reflecting on its contentiousness and long-term impact.

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Key Discussion Points

1. News of the Day with Mike Slater

[00:09–03:07]

• U.S. Vice President’s Trip to Israel

  • The VP met with Israeli officials aiming to maintain the ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.
  • Quote:
    • “He told reporters he is confident that Hamas is committed to its ceasefire with Israel and Gaza, but said they would be obliterated if it failed to disarm.” (Mike Slater, 00:18)
  • Senator J.D. Vance described recovering remaining hostages as “difficult” and “not going to happen overnight.”
  • The president posted on Truth Social, citing offers from U.S. allies in the Middle East to intervene in Gaza if Hamas violates agreements.
    • “If Hamas does not abide by the agreement, then the end of Hamas will be fast, furious and brutal.” (Mike Slater, paraphrasing the President, 00:51)

• Homeland Security—Fines and Voluntary Deportation

  • 31,600 fine notices totaling nearly $10B sent to illegal immigrants.
  • DHS asks illegal immigrants to self-deport via a new phone app, offering a $1,000 stipend.
    • “Leave voluntarily and receive a $1,000 check or stay and wait till you're fined a thousand dollars a day, arrested, and deported…” (Mike Slater, 01:33)
  • 600,000 expected deportations by year-end, with 1.6 million self-deportations claimed.

• SNAP Food Assistance Funding at Risk

  • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) could run out by November 1 if the government shutdown persists.
  • 42 million Americans currently on SNAP.
    • Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services blames Congressional Republicans for the shutdown and potential halt to benefits.
    • Slater calls this “a hilarious and wildly inappropriate spin.”

• Louvre Jewelry Heist

  • Nine pieces valued at $102 million stolen.
  • Museum director to meet with lawmakers; first female director, first female security chief were both involved.

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2. Message of the Day: “No Kings: Trump, Power, and Constitutional Logic”

[03:39–05:36]

• San Francisco Appeals Court Ruling

  • Trump administration legally authorized to send 200 National Guard troops to Portland to protect ICE agents.

• “No Kings” Protest Analysis

  • O'Reilly critiques the protestors’ claim that Trump operates outside democracy:
    • “The anti-Trump cadres are trying to convince the world that President Trump operates outside the rules of democracy. That's not true. But since when does the mob concern itself with truth?” (Bill O’Reilly, 03:58)
  • Monarchical systems differ fundamentally from U.S. checks and balances.
    • “An absolute monarchy doesn’t include appeals courts. The king decides what will happen and that’s it.” (Bill O’Reilly, 04:11)
    • O’Reilly references Henry VIII from his book Confronting Evil.

• Presidential Power v. Courts

  • Trump learned to navigate (and resent) the bureaucracy, choosing direct executive action when possible.
  • However, courts can still limit presidential authority:
    • Birthright citizenship—protected by the Constitution—cannot be changed by executive order.
    • “But using federal power to impose order and protection will be upheld.” (Bill O’Reilly, 05:10)

• Closing on the U.S. System

  • “The king thing is lazy and dumb. There is logic to the Constitution that protects Americans, and that remains.” (Bill O’Reilly, 05:20)

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3. Listener Mail: Freedom of the Press Dispute

[05:36–07:36]

• Listener Robert from Alabama

  • Questions O’Reilly’s stance on Pentagon press access, argues that press is not entitled to access and reports can be reviewed.

• O’Reilly’s Reply

  • Clarifies distinction: “This is not a freedom of speech issue. It's a freedom of press issue. Freedom [of the] press is specifically mentioned in the Constitution…” (Bill O’Reilly, 06:21)
  • “The Supreme Court has upheld that press access cannot be restricted by the government. ...You cannot be denied information by the federal government unless it’s classified.”
  • Suggests Pentagon pre-approvals of reporting are unconstitutional: “Secretary of war [saying] you’re not going to be able to report anything from the Pentagon unless you run it by us… is a direct violation of freedom of the press.” (Bill O’Reilly, 07:26)

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4. Historical Reflection: The Final 2020 Trump–Biden Debate

[08:21–10:58]

• Debate Context and Aftermath
  • First debate (Sept 29, 2020) characterized by chaos: “Both candidates basically ignored [Chris Wallace]…candidates were incoherent as they babbled on… ignoring… the debate moderator.” (Bill O’Reilly, 08:40)
  • Second debate canceled due to Trump’s Covid diagnosis.
  • Final debate took place October 22, 2020.
    • Notable Quotes:
      • “Maybe inject bleach. [Trump] said he was kidding when he said that, but a lot of people thought it was serious.” (Joe Biden, 09:31)
      • “[Biden’s] been in government 47 years. He never did a thing except in 1994 when he did such harm to the black community. ...he called them super predators.” (Trump, recalled by O’Reilly, 10:09)
  • Polling: CNN found 53% of viewers thought Biden won, 29% Trump.
  • The election ended with Biden securing 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232; Trump never formally conceded, claiming fraud.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If Hamas does not abide by the agreement, then the end of Hamas will be fast, furious and brutal.” (Mike Slater, 00:51)
• “The king thing is lazy and dumb. There is logic to the Constitution that protects Americans, and that remains.” (Bill O’Reilly, 05:20)
• “Secretary of war [saying] you’re not going to be able to report anything from the Pentagon unless you run it by us… is a direct violation of freedom of the press.” (Bill O’Reilly, 07:26)
• “Both candidates basically ignored [Chris Wallace]… candidates were incoherent as they babbled on without Wallace directing them.” (Bill O’Reilly, 08:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• News of the Day Recap: 00:09–03:07
• O’Reilly’s Message of the Day: 03:39–05:36
• Listener Mail—Press Freedom Debate: 05:36–07:36
• Historical Look—2020 Presidential Debate: 08:21–10:58

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Tone and Language

• O’Reilly maintains his trademark direct, skeptical, and analytical tone, pushing back against what he sees as media spin and simplistic political attacks.
• Mike Slater delivers the news with a brisk, fact-heavy style, occasionally injecting wry commentary (especially on the SNAP funding “spin”).
• The listener exchange and historical segment reinforce O’Reilly’s position as a constitutionalist and media critic.

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This summary captures the episode’s major news, arguments, and context, providing clear highlights and quotes for listeners who want a thorough understanding without having heard the full program.

Transcript

[Caller/Listener]

Foreign.

[Bill O'Reilly]

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

[Mike Slater]

Thank you, Bill. It is Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Here's what's happening today in America. Vice President in Israel, major fines for illegals snap running out and the thieves running away. It's all coming up. And Bill is going to be here with your message of the day. But first, the vice president was in Israel yesterday for a three day trip. He told reporters he is confident that Hamas is committed to its ceasefire with Israel and Gaza, but said they would be obliterated if it failed to disarm. JD Vance said that recovering the 15 remaining deceased hostages in Gaza is difficult and is not going to happen overnight. The president wrote on Truth Social that numerous of our now great allies in the Middle east and areas surrounding the Middle east have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity at my request to go into Gaza with a heavy force and straighten out Hamas if Hamas continues to act badly in violation of their agreement with us. He went on to say that if Hamas does not abide by the agreement, then the end of Hamas will be fast furious and brutal. I would like to thank all those countries that called to help. The president also gave a shout out to Indonesia for their help in the Middle East. Indonesia is the largest bipopulation Muslim country in the world. Department of Homeland security has issued 31,600 fine notices to illegal aliens totaling just under $10 billion. Homeland Security is asking illegal aliens to self deport by using their CBP home app on their phone. They can report their self deportation and then get a stipend from the federal government. $1,000. Homeland Security said the choice is easy. Leave voluntarily and receive $1,000 check or stay and wait till you're fined a thousand dollars a day, arrested and deported without a possibility to return legally. Homeland Security says that they are on pace to deport 600,000 illegals by the end of the year. And it's believed 1.6 million illegals have self deported. 5,000 new ICE agents have been hired to help enforce immigration law. States are now warning people that the SNAP program will run out around November 1st if the government shutdown continues. Every state's a little bit different. There's 42 million Americans on SNAP. Pennsylvania officials at the Department of Human Services said because Republicans in D.C. failed to pass a federal budget causing the Federal Government shutdown. November 2025, SNAP benefits cannot be paid. That is a hilarious and wildly inappropriate spin to the story of the government shutdown. We have a figure on the monetary value of jewelry taken in the heist of the Louvre. The museum director, the first female director, who happened to hire the first female security chief, will be meeting with French lawmakers to explain herself. Nine pieces of jewelry stolen from the Louvre with a value of $102 million. I'm Mike Slater. I have a podcast called Politics by faith. Bill O'Reilly has your message of the day next.

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[Bill O'Reilly]

Time now for the O'Reilly update. Message of the day. On this Wednesday, an appeals court in San Francisco is ruled that the Trump administration can legally send 200 National Guard personnel to Portland, Oregon to protect ICE agents. Here's the question, how does that stack up with the no kings protest? Quick answer. It doesn't. The anti Trump cadres are trying to convince the world that President Trump operates outside the rules of democracy. That's not true. But since when does the mob concern itself with truth? An absolute monarchy doesn't include appeals courts. The king decides what will happen and that's it. Read the chapter on the horrific Henry VIII in my book Confronting Evil. President Trump learned to disdain the glacial Washington bureaucracy during his first term in office. He has now marshaled the power of the executive branch to solve problems as he sees fit. However, the courts can restrain him. For example, the constitutional mandate of birthright citizenship, where a baby becomes an American citizen if born on our soil, is not going to change, no matter how much the president wants it to. But using federal power to impose order and protection will be upheld. The king thing is lazy and dumb. There is logic to the Constitution that protects Americans and that remains. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You can reach me [e-mail] [e-mail] name.

[Caller/Listener]

In town if you wish to opine.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Let'S go to the mail.

[Caller/Listener]

Robert in Alabama now I'm not going to give you his last name because I'm going to school. Robert a little bit.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay, here's Robert. I am struggling with your honesty, O'Reilly.

[Caller/Listener]

On the Hegseth issue. My understanding is that if reporters want access to the Pentagon, they have to sign a document. Their reports from the Pentagon will be.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Reviewed before going out.

[Caller/Listener]

They don't, then their access is restricted. You keep saying that violates free speech. How is that violating free speech? There is no right of press access.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All right, now, Robert, you are desperately.

[Caller/Listener]

Wrong in your tire analysis, but I'm going to let the honesty sentence go because I don't think you meant it maliciously. I hope you didn't. This is the most honest broadcast you will ever see in your entire life. So this is not a freedom of speech issue. It's a freedom of press issue. Freedom press is specifically mentioned in the Constitution, which says, and the Supreme Court has upheld that press access cannot be restricted by the government. Doesn't mean that you can. You know, if you're a reporter, you can hop the fence at the White House and run around, but there you cannot be denied information by the federal government unless it's classified. Then you can. All right. But the Secretary of war saying you're.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Not going to be able to report.

[Caller/Listener]

Anything from the Pentagon unless you run it by us and we approve it.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Is a direct violation of freedom of the press. In a moment, something you might not know.

[Craig Carton]

Hey there, it's your buddy, Craig Carton. And if you're like me, you could use a timeout from the chaotic news cycle, a pause from the politics, a break, break from the bedlam. I'm inviting you to join me every day on the Craig Carton show podcast where we tackle the biggest sporting events of the day and give honest, hot takes on and off the field. Sports talk should be fresh, informative and fun. And that's what we deliver every single day. So give your ears a much needed vacation. It's time to tune out the noise and take a break from the non stop news cycle. Subscribe now to the Craig Carton Show Podcast available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. Five years ago this evening, Donald Trump and Joe Biden held their final debate of the 2020 election. The event was nearly derailed by last minute rules, objections from both parties and a case of COVID Here is the story. The first debate took place on September 29th in Cleveland. Moderator Chris Wallace quickly lost control as both candidates basically ignored him and spoke over each other for the next two hours. The candidates were incoherent as they babbled on without Wallace directing them. Both Trump and Biden yelled and appealed directly to the camera ignoring the questions from the debate moderator. The second debate was canceled one week later when President Trump tested positive for Covid. But finally, the two candidates shared a stage. On October 22, during the debate, Joe Biden attacked Trump's handling of the pandemic.

[Joe Biden]

The fact is that when we knew it was coming, when it hit, what happened? What did the president say? He said, don't worry, it's going to go away. Be gone by Easter, don't worry. Warm weather, don't worry. Maybe inject bleach. He said he was kidding when he said that. But a lot of people thought it was serious. A whole range of things the president has said. Even today, he, he thinks we are in control. We're about to lose 200,000 more people.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Later, Trump said Biden had accomplished nothing during his half century in Washington.

[Caller/Listener]

He's been in government 47 years. He never did a thing except in 1994 when he did such harm to the black community. And they were called, and he called them super predators.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Post Debate polling gave Mr. Biden the advantage of survey from CNN found 53% of viewers thought the Democrat won, compared to 29% for Mr. Trump. Two weeks later, the voters had their say. After three days of ballot counting, Joe Biden clinched the White House 306 electoral votes to 232. To this day, Donald Trump has not conceded that race, believing it was fraudulent. Back in a moment.

[Mike Baker]

Hey, Mike Baker here, host of the President's Daily Brief podcast. If you want straight talk on national security, foreign policy and the biggest global stories going on of the day, this is the show for you. We publish twice a day, Monday through Friday, once in the morning, again in the afternoon. And on the weekend, we go longer with the PDB Situation Report with excellent guests including national security insiders and foreign policy experts. Check us out on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. Also on our YouTube channel, ResidentsDaily.

[Bill O'Reilly]

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