Digital Social Hour – Episode DSH #1683

Guest: Brandon Tatum
Host: Sean Kelly
Date: December 14, 2025
Episode Title: Brandon Tatum: Israel, Gaza & Propaganda: Tatum Says 70% Is Fake

Main Theme

This episode of Digital Social Hour features former police officer and conservative commentator Brandon Tatum, returning to the show for a candid discussion about politics, race, Israel-Gaza narratives, propaganda in the media, and the dynamics around antisemitism in America. Tatum delivers strong, sometimes controversial opinions, challenging both mainstream and alternative narratives on current events, media bias, political figures, and identity politics.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump Administration, Political Media & Lawsuits

[01:54-03:56]

• Tatum praises Trump's second term, credits him for strong border policy, trying to improve the economy, and pursuing international peace.
• He criticizes media bias:
  • "They continue to lie on television even after we've seen them completely lie almost the entire time he was president..." (Officer Tatum, 02:31)
• Tatum highlights Trump’s successful defamation lawsuits against media orgs:
  • "It's really hard to sue a platform... What you would have to do to get sued... has to be incredibly egregious..." (Officer Tatum, 04:00)

2. Gavin Newsom, Democrat Contenders, and 2028 Speculation

[04:22-06:43]

• Tatum asserts Newsom is "fake" and a "snake oil salesman," unworthy of the presidency.
• He views Newsom as outmatched by Trump and suggests Democrats lack viable candidates, with the exception of Newsom and AOC.

3. J.D. Vance, America First & Fuentes Debate

[06:43-10:21]

• Tatum supports J.D. Vance as the likely next president and praises his humility and stance against Zelenskyy.
• On Nick Fuentes' critique of Vance being a Peter Thiel "puppet," Tatum says:
  • "It just seems like there's some people that want controversy. They build their platform on conspiracies..." (Officer Tatum, 09:35)
• Discusses the limitations of platforms "built on controversy" and how conspiracies attract audiences but aren't sustainable.

4. Comparing Charlie Kirk and Nick Fuentes

[10:29-14:08]

• Tatum draws a distinction, calling Kirk "brilliant" and crediting him with popularizing conservatism, while criticizing Fuentes for jealousy and lack of substantive platform:
  • "Charlie Kirk is probably one of the most brilliant people... Nick Fuentes is also brilliant. I think Charlie Kirk is brilliant in a way in which he put [God] first..." (Officer Tatum, 11:29)
• Emphasizes the importance of platforms built on solutions, not just complaints.

5. The Case for Dialogue, Not Debates

[14:08-15:56]

• Tatum is skeptical Fuentes would debate Kirk in good faith, reiterates the issue is with "ideas, not people."
• Notable:
  • "If you believe that white people are superior... that's racism, and you can't go around that." (Officer Tatum, 15:15)
• Urges for disagreeing with ideas rather than personal attacks.

6. Israel, Antisemitism, and the Gaza Narrative

[17:01-24:26]

• Tatum, who has visited Israel, explains why criticism of Israel can slip into antisemitism when arguments generalize and demonize all Jews.
• Describes Israel's political system as a functional democracy with a diverse populace.
• Tatum is more "radical" in his reaction to October 7 events, justifies Israel's defense:
  • "If you’re gonna do that... you’re gonna get [what’s coming]. If that happened to America... your country will become a parking lot." (Officer Tatum, 18:32)
• Draws a line between legitimate critique and anti-Jewish scapegoating.

7. Media, Propaganda, and “70% Fake” Gaza Content

[22:50-27:10]

• Tatum calls out Western media bias against Israel, claiming many viral videos from Gaza are staged:
  • "I really do believe... that 60 to 70% of all the information that’s coming out of Gaza is propaganda." (Officer Tatum, 26:18)
• Raises questions about perfectly timed, high-production videos of attacks; accuses militant groups of manipulating narratives for sympathy.
• Questions the lack of authentic footage of alleged mass atrocities.

Memorable Quote:

"If Israel wanted to kill and genocide people in Gaza, they could kill hundreds of thousands of people at one time... They would kill, they could kill everybody in Gaza in a matter of a week."
— Officer Tatum, [27:10]

8. On Hamas, Humanitarian Aid, and Responsibility

[27:10-32:15]

• Argues that most humanitarian aid sent to Gaza gets looted by armed gangs or Hamas, citing UN data:
  • "UN says that 96% of all of the aid brought into Gaza have been confiscated... Who else is in Gaza with weapons outside of Hamas?" (Officer Tatum, 27:55)
• Criticizes Al Jazeera for bias, claims some journalists are linked to Hamas.
• Defends Israel’s willingness to work toward a two-state solution; asserts Palestinian leadership has repeatedly rejected peace.

9. Christian Minorities, Religious Tolerance, and Middle East Comparison

[32:15-38:25]

• Tatum contrasts safety and religious freedom for Christians in Israel vs. Palestinian territories or neighboring countries:
  • "In Israel, Christians are able to start churches, participate in the government... In Gaza, you cannot evangelize." (Officer Tatum, 33:42)
• Uses shrinking Christian populations in Bethlehem as proof of intolerance under Palestinian rule.
• Switches hypothetical: if Middle East were full of Jewish states, “the world would be safer.”

Notable Moment:

"Christians are not allowed in... some of the most dangerous places for Christians to ever be is in Arab nations... There’s only one Jewish nation... switch the two—the world be a safer place."
— Officer Tatum, [36:00]

10. US-Israel Relationship & AIPAC Influence

[38:25-42:28]

• Disputes idea that "Israel runs America," arguing instead that US holds power over Israeli military decisions:
  • "If we decided to not give Israel any more funding, that would be the end of Israel." (Officer Tatum, 38:59)
• Acknowledges AIPAC's outsized campaign funding, but notes ActBlue/WinRed dwarf AIPAC's numbers. Urges scrutiny of all lobbying, not just Israel-focused groups.

11. "America First"—What Does It Mean Across Factions?

[42:35-43:57]

• Sean and Tatum discuss "America First" distinctions:
  • Nick Fuentes’s version is "white America first."
  • Trump’s is a "boomer" America first.
  • Tatum advocates for a values-based, not race-based, conception.

12. Race, Identity Politics, and Crime Statistics

[43:57-48:47]

• Tatum calls race-based politics a “low IQ argument”:
  • "America is an idea. It's not a person, it's not a race... If you believe in the idea, you'll be successful." (Officer Tatum, 44:10)
• Challenges bigoted narratives about black crime rates with statistics:
  • "Black people commit about 6,000 murders a year. 98% of it is against other black people... 6,000 out of 40 million." (Officer Tatum, 48:07)
• Describes inner-city crime as a function of poverty, not race.

13. Influence, Online Echo Chambers, Responsible Communication

[49:34-54:12]

• Emphasizes building influence with integrity.
• Praises the wisdom of Charlie Kirk vs. the recklessness of Nick Fuentes.
• Advocates for communicating in a way that’s effective for broader audiences (avoiding profanity, recklessness, alienating language).
• Warns young influencers about pitfalls of seeking audience through controversy alone.

Notable Quotes

• On Media Lawsuits:
  "When you go to the point of being egregious, knowingly and intentionally lying about somebody and deceiving the public to shame somebody or to damage their reputation... that mean you did something crazy." — Officer Tatum, [04:00]

• On Israel-Gaza Content:
  "I really do believe... that 60 to 70% of all the information that’s coming out of Gaza is propaganda." — Officer Tatum, [26:18]

• On Racism and America:
  "America is an idea. It's not a person, it's not a race... If you believe in the idea, you'll be successful." — Officer Tatum, [44:10]

• On Criticizing Israel vs. Antisemitism:
  "Critique of the war is fine. Why not? ... When you begin to attach a particular fault on a people that you don't genuinely have congruent with another country... that's when it becomes a problem." — Officer Tatum, [19:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------------------------------| | 01:54 | Tatum on Trump's presidency and media bias | | 06:44 | J.D. Vance as likely next GOP leader | | 10:21 | Critique of conspiracy-based platforms | | 17:01 | Israel, antisemitism, and criticism | | 22:50 | Media propaganda in the Gaza conflict | | 26:18 | Claim: 60–70% of Gaza war content is fake | | 32:15 | Christians in Israel vs. Palestine | | 38:25 | Does Israel control America or vice versa? | | 42:35 | "America First"—different interpretations | | 44:10 | Race, American identity, upward mobility | | 48:47 | Crime, poverty, and racial narratives | | 49:34 | Wisdom, influence, and online communication |

Final Thoughts & Where to Find Brandon Tatum

Brandon Tatum wraps up by encouraging responsible, values-based influence, warning against controversy for its own sake, and promoting unity over division. You can follow him at "TheOfficerTatum" on all platforms and read his writing on Tatum Report.

This summary covers all major discussion points, reflects the language and tone of the speakers, and provides timestamps for easy navigation for listeners seeking to dive deeper into the episode’s most significant moments.