Podcast Summary: THE WAR ROOM WITH STEPHEN K. BANNON – December 11, 2025 (Ep. #4990)

Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Host: Steve Bannon
Date: December 11, 2025
Notable Guest: Mike Lindell
Main Topic: Mike Lindell Announces Run for Governor of Minnesota

Episode Overview

This episode centers around headline news: entrepreneur and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell announces his candidacy for Governor of Minnesota on the War Room’s airwaves. The discussion covers Lindell’s motivation, his tumultuous journey as a public figure and business owner, his critique of the current Minnesota administration, and his vision for the state. The tone is urgent and combative, connecting Lindell’s story to national political themes of election integrity, government accountability, and the role of media.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Mike Lindell’s Backstory and Mission

(02:05–10:09)

• Lindell recounts his transformation from addiction to successful entrepreneurship, founding MyPillow and the Lindell Recovery Network.
• Emphasizes his faith-driven purpose and his evolution from media darling to media “pariah” after aligning with Donald Trump in 2016.
• Details the coordinated federal and media campaigns he believes targeted him and his company after the 2020 election.
• Announces: “I will stand for you as next governor of the state of Minnesota.” (08:11)

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Lindell (04:23): “Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose? If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.”
• Mike Lindell (08:47): “I don’t want to be like a politician. It’s professional politicians that have gotten us all into this problem.”

2. Why Run for Governor? The “Why Now” Question

(10:09–15:26)

• Bannon asks why Lindell is entering politics after enduring so much corporate and personal adversity.
• Lindell claims “things just get worse and worse” in Minnesota under current leadership and cites his lack of trust in traditional politicians.
• Decries “stealth” policies, government mismanagement, crime, and “nonsensical” regulations and mandates.

Notable Quote:

• Mike Lindell (11:54): “If you want something done right, you do it yourself. I don’t trust anyone else to get this job done.”

3. Critique of Governor Tim Walz

(15:26–21:11)

• Bannon presents Walz’s political trajectory—almost becoming Vice President—and questions the “vetting” of his leadership.
• Lindell accuses Walz of negligence or malfeasance, referencing pandemic-era policies, refusing donations for political reasons, and overseeing exploding deficits and fraud.
• Lindell charges the administration with prioritizing “hidden agendas” and “woke” policies over practical governance.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Lindell (16:46): “He has never been qualified… This guy is a terrible, terrible governor.”
• Mike Lindell (18:30): “I don’t even know if you call it a woke agenda. It’s bizarre the stuff he comes up with.”

4. Election Integrity and Inner City Politics

(18:53–21:11)

• Discusses Lindell’s grassroots work with urban communities affected by drug addiction, and his claims of resource diversion caused by illegal immigration.
• Highlights his ongoing crusade against voting machines and calls for bipartisan cooperation on election security.

Notable Quote:

• Mike Lindell (20:36): “When you have elections, if things don’t change, you need a different input to get a different output.”

5. Demonstrating Leadership: Overcoming Adversity

(21:11–29:21)

• Bannon invites Lindell to recount hardships as proof of resilience and suitability for governance.
• Lindell details overcoming crack cocaine addiction, surviving a coordinated economic boycott, federal investigations, and being “debanked.”
• Expresses pride in maintaining Made-in-USA business and direct communication with employees.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Lindell (21:56): “One was definitely when I was a crack cocaine addict… God freed me of that on January 16, 2009.”
• Mike Lindell (24:31): “No company’s been more attacked… We lost $200 million in box stores right out of the gate.”

6. Media and Information Control

(34:22–37:39)

• Lindell and Bannon both argue that the local and national media aid in covering up fraud and government malfeasance.
• Lindell pledges “the most transparent governorship” possible, blaming media for ignoring substantial crises.

Notable Quote:

• Mike Lindell (35:59): “I believe the media is one of the biggest problems, the biggest cover up of the biggest crimes this country’s ever seen.”

7. The “Deviation” Philosophy: Business Principles in Government

(38:57–41:23)

• Emphasizes how operational rigor and mathematical analysis guide his management and would inform his governance.
• Calls for daily scrutiny of governmental “silos” (departments), identifying and correcting deviations.
• Pledges heavy hands-on, transparent, and communicative leadership.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Lindell (39:23): “When you see a problem, you want to fix the problem and then put stuff in place so it never happens again. That’s business 101.”
• Mike Lindell (40:13): “It’s deviations… you look at the baseline and if there’s a change, you better find out why.”

8. Love of State and Call to Action

(41:23–43:06)

• Lindell describes his deep personal ties to Minnesota, resisting suggestions to relocate his business out of state.
• Vows to travel to all 2,633 Minnesota towns and cities during the campaign.

Notable Quote:

• Mike Lindell (41:47): “I love Minnesota. I was born here, born in Mankato. All my family’s here, my company’s here. With all the regulations, just move MyPillow somewhere else. I said no—I love Minnesota.”

9. Final Reflections and Campaign Information

(43:06–43:27)

• Lindell invites listeners to visit his campaign website: mikelindellgov.com.
• Mutual affirmation between Bannon and Lindell, calling the candidacy “unconventional,” focused on action, transparency, and grassroots engagement.

Notable/Highlighted Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose? If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.”
  – Mike Lindell (04:23)

• “I don’t want to be like a politician. It’s professional politicians that have gotten us all into this problem.”
  – Mike Lindell (08:47)

• “If you want something done right, you do it yourself. I don’t trust anyone else to get this job done.”
  – Mike Lindell (11:54)

• “He has never been qualified… This guy is a terrible, terrible governor.”
  – Mike Lindell (16:46)

• “When you have elections, if things don’t change, you need a different input to get a different output.”
  – Mike Lindell (20:36)

• “I believe the media is one of the biggest problems, the biggest cover up of the biggest crimes this country’s ever seen.”
  – Mike Lindell (35:59)

• “When you see a problem, you want to fix the problem and then put stuff in place so it never happens again. That’s business 101.”
  – Mike Lindell (39:23)

• “I love Minnesota… I said no—I love Minnesota.”
  – Mike Lindell (41:47)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:05] – Lindell’s backstory and personal transformation
• [08:11] – Official announcement: Running for Governor
• [10:09] – Why now? Lindell’s rationale for entering politics
• [15:26] – Bannon questions about Tim Walz’s near-Veep status and failings
• [18:53] – Inner city engagement and critique of resource allocation
• [21:56] – Overcoming adversity: addiction and business attacks
• [34:22] – Promising transparency and criticism of media failure
• [39:23] – Promises to bring “business 101” to state governance
• [41:47] – Emotional reflections on Minnesota roots
• [43:06] – Campaign info: mikelindellgov.com

Tone and Style

• Energetic, combative, and personal: Lindell is emotional and earnest, intertwining his faith and business ethos with political aspirations.
• Populist and anti-establishment: Both Bannon and Lindell position themselves in opposition to traditional politicians, bureaucrats, and mainstream media.
• Story-driven: Personal anecdotes and dramatic turning points anchor Lindell’s appeal.

Concluding Message

This episode of the War Room introduced Mike Lindell’s campaign with maximal drama, highlighting his resilience, business acumen, and populist credentials. It frames the Minnesota gubernatorial contest as a battle over corruption, media complicity, American values, and grassroots accountability—promising an unconventional campaign by a relentlessly persistent outsider.

For more information on Mike Lindell’s campaign:
Visit mikelindellgov.com