Real America’s Voice: THE WAR ROOM WITH STEPHEN K. BANNON

Episode #4980 · December 8, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon
Main Guest: Mark Mitchell (Rasmussen Pollster)
Key Topics: Immigration, assimilation, welfare fraud, H1B visa abuse, youth political attitudes, conservative political dynamics.

Episode Overview

This episode of "The War Room" with Steve Bannon delivers a heated discussion on the direction of America, focusing on immigration (legal and illegal), assimilation, welfare and visa fraud, and how current policies impact American society and younger generations. Pollster Mark Mitchell brings fresh data and perspectives, while Bannon critiques establishment politics and emphasizes the urgency for unified conservative action ahead of the midterms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Assimilation, Immigration, and the American Identity

(Starts ~01:20)

- ICE, Rights, and the Framing of Immigration

• Debate on ICE tactics and immigrants’ rights (“ICE cannot enter...without a judicial warrant...you have the right to say I do not consent to entry..." — Mark Mitchell, 01:51).
• Strong defense of immigrant communities, rejecting assimilation-failure narratives:
  • Reference to historical prejudice against Jewish, Irish, and Italian immigrants.
  • “Yes, of course, ethnically Somali. We are in this country as Americans. We are citizens. We are productive part of this nation and we will continue to be.” (Mark Mitchell, 03:47)

- Fraud in Minnesota’s Welfare Program

• Allegations of Somali community involvement in large-scale fraud:
  • “The initial fraud...was discovered by IRS Criminal Investigations Unit...Money has gone overseas...to the Middle East and to Somalia...we are tracking what the uses of that have been.” (Mark Mitchell, 04:10 - 04:54)

- Bannon & Guests: Mass Deportations and Security

• Bannon asserts Trump was elected for a “mass deportation operation” and broad security crackdown:
  • “He was put in the Oval Office to run the biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen. That's exactly what we're doing. That's what the American people voted for.” (Mark Mitchell, 05:49)
  • Questions about vetting failures and national security risks of current and past immigrants.

2. Systemic Critique: Welfare, NGOs, and the “Organized Invasion”

(10:00–15:35)

• Bannon denounces NGOs and religious charities for enabling “organized invasion”:
  • “It’s the old Cloward-Piven strategy. Bankrupt the system by paying for the third world to come here...and destroy your health care and education system...” (Steve Bannon, 12:09)
• Argues welfare programs create dependency and erode the “working class” backbone.

Notable Quote

“One of the points of coming here is that you can support yourself. The Democrats...create all these USAID and NGOs, especially phony Christian ones...It’s a scam. They're making money off it.”
— Steve Bannon (12:09)

3. Economic Concerns, State Capitalism, and Elite Power

(12:52–15:34)

• Bannon compares America’s economic model to Chinese “state capitalism.”
  • “This is really state capitalism...it’s what the CCP wants.” (Steve Bannon, 13:21)
• Warns of massive concentration of power in tech and financial elites (“prologarchs,” “tech bros”).
• Dismissive of establishment Republicans and major law firms:
  • “They're not flooding the zone...they're anti-MAGA.” (Steve Bannon, 14:01)

4. Youth Attitudes, Populism, and Technocratic Temptations

(23:59–29:42)

• Mark Mitchell reviews polling showing under-40 conservatives’ openness to “giving control of legislative processes to an advanced AI” (55% “yes”):
  • “These people demand order and they think the system has failed them.” (Mark Mitchell, 24:16)
  • Young liberals are skeptical (“wait, no, that might not be a good idea”).
  • General frustration among young conservatives—why no dramatic systems change, no high-profile deportations (“Why haven't we denaturalized and deported Ilhan Omar yet?” — Mark Mitchell, 24:59).
  • Bannon pushes back on turning to technocratic solutions:

    "Obviously that's incorrect. And you can't give it to the tech. The oligarchs only think of themselves." (Steve Bannon, 25:27)

- "Looking for their Franco" Analogy

• “One of them said, I thought Trump was going to be our Franco…you have like an even handed dictator, essentially restore order and return the republic.” (Mark Mitchell, 28:20)
• Trump’s net approval is “down to negative 12...not a really good place to be.” (Mark Mitchell, 27:35)

5. H1B Visas, Tech Jobs, and Foreign Labor

(30:50–41:26)

• Mark Mitchell details abuse of H1B program (“80%...are for entry or junior level jobs”).
• “It is insane. It's obviously a program to try and replace U.S. workers with basically slave labor...H1B abuse is crazy.” (Palmer Luckey, cited by Mark Mitchell, 31:51)
• Bannon calls for complete abolition; claims it’s driven by corporate greed.
  • "If H1B is, show me a billet...that an American couldn't fill because education, training...It doesn’t exist.” (Steve Bannon, 33:11)
• Mitchell describes first-hand management experience:
  • U.S.-qualified applicants overlooked for Indian H1Bs.
  • Big Tech and universities create closed pipelines favoring foreign over domestic workers.
  • “99% of it is fraud. Fraud.” (Mark Mitchell, 36:59)
  • Hiring practices are manipulated: “You can put things in the job description that...most domestic workers wouldn't lie on…and, you know, then you find the Indian resumes getting hired.” (Mark Mitchell, 41:08)

Notable Quote

“It's not acceptable to be bringing the third world in here to take our engineering jobs. The Americans are the greatest set of engineers in the world…Hell, we went to the moon.”
— Steve Bannon (42:55)

6. Institutions, National Greatness, and a Call to Action

(41:26–45:55)

• Bannon lauds the U.S. nuclear navy (and Rickover’s leadership) as an illustration of American excellence, demanding similar standards for contemporary institutions.
• “The nuclear Navy is an institution…with traditions and customs…one of the great institutions in the world. This is what Americans are capable of.” (Steve Bannon, 42:16–42:55)
• Calls for a "hostile relationship" with oligarchs and a return to building world-class institutions.

7. 2025 Midterms, Strategy, and Conservative Messaging

(45:55–50:56)

• Bannon and Mitchell discuss forecast for the upcoming elections:
  • No guaranteed GOP advantage; “They could do what they were elected to do.”
  • Mitchell’s advice to Trump:

    “Don’t get distracted by the shiny object...actually fix Americans’ problems, especially the younger people.” (Mark Mitchell, 47:46)

  • Focus should be on de-cronyizing capitalism, fighting regulatory capture, and laying out a multi-year vision.
  • “Let’s get back to some of that inspirational messaging. Don’t tell us a golden age is already here. We all know it’s not.” (Mark Mitchell, 48:21)
  • Bannon closes with praise for Rickover’s talent-spotting and “creating an institution inside an institution.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies. Cause we're going medieval on these people.”
  — Steve Bannon, 07:22

• "ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent."
  — Mark Mitchell, 02:07

• “What Mark Mitchell just said a second ago about the H1B, don’t take it from Mark Mitchell...Go to Jessica Vaughan at CIS...the entire thing's a scam. It's all kickbacks.”
  — Steve Bannon, 39:13

• “I thought Trump was going to be our Franco.”
  — Mark Mitchell, reporting DM from a young MAGA voter, 28:20

• “It's going to be a grind. It's not going to be for the ribbon clerks or the summer soldiers or the sunshine patriots.”
  — Steve Bannon, 14:12

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:20 – 05:16: Discussion on ICE, immigrant rights, Somali assimilation, and Minnesota welfare fraud
• 10:00 – 15:34: Critique of NGOs, mass migration, and the Cloward–Piven/NGO strategy
• 23:59 – 29:42: Polling insights on young conservatives, technocracy, and the “Franco” analogy
• 30:50 – 41:26: Deep dive on H1B visa abuse, impacts on U.S. workforce, and first-hand corporate experience
• 41:26 – 45:55: Reflections on American institutions (specifically the Navy) as models for renewal
• 45:55 – 50:56: 2025 midterms, conservative strategy, and advice for Trump campaign

Takeaways

• Anger at Systemic Exploitation: Both illegal and legal (H1B) immigration are framed as systemic tools to undermine American workers and social services, orchestrated by a coalition of NGOs, elites, and multinational corporations.
• Nostalgia for Institutions & Greatness: Recurring theme: America’s historical greatness was built on high standards and cohesive institutions (nuclear navy cited as model).
• Younger Generation at a Crossroads: Younger conservatives are dissatisfied, tempted by drastic solutions (even AI rule or “their Franco”), disillusioned with both establishment and Trump.
• Call to Action: Bannon repeatedly urges direct action, unity, and a vision for restoring American strength—“Action, action, action.”

For full analysis and the entire debate, listening to the episode is highly recommended given the dense, fast-moving style of both Bannon and his guests.