Podcast Summary: The War Room with Stephen K. Bannon (Ep. 4895)

Date: November 1, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon
Notable Guests: Ed Martin, Mark Hemingway, Julie Kelly, Sally Grubbs
Podcast: Real America’s Voice

Overview

This episode of "The War Room" with Stephen K. Bannon focuses on the divide within the American conservative movement, legacy and current attacks against Phyllis Schlafly, controversy involving the National Review, the weaponization of the DOJ and FBI against conservatives, and ongoing efforts to address perceived election irregularities—especially in Georgia. Bannon and his guests critique establishment conservatism, champion populist figures like Schlafly and Trump, and discuss high-stakes legal and political battles ahead of the upcoming elections.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Enduring Legacy and Recent Attacks on Phyllis Schlafly

(00:37–11:28)

• Bannon and Ed Martin Praise Schlafly:
  Both highlight Schlafly's pioneering populism, her unwavering support for Donald Trump (she was an early and vocal backer), and her historic battles with establishment conservatives, such as William F. Buckley and the National Review.

  • “She never wavered in her whole career. And the common denominator for her and him is they just love America.” — Ed Martin (02:58)

• National Review vs. Populist Conservatism:
  National Review’s recently published harsh critique of Schlafly in their 70th anniversary issue is dissected. Bannon, Martin, and later Hemingway see this as part of a longstanding elite snobbery and resentment over Schlafly’s anti-globalist, populist positions and her embrace of Trumpism.

• Historical Flashbacks:
  Stories about Schlafly’s debate with Buckley over the Panama Canal (schism between America-first vs. globalist right) and her directorial self-confidence during the filming of "Fire from the Heartland" underscore her independence and grit.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Phyllis was with me. She never wavered.” — Donald Trump, as retold by Ed Martin (03:18)
• “National Review has never really, I think, changed their stripes.... The other 30%, they attack the good guys.” — Ed Martin (05:01)
• “Phyllis Schlafly had the courage to be really the first movement conservative icon that came out and backed Trump and said, hey, this populism is going to be the politics of the future.” — Steve Bannon (06:22)
• Memorable Moment: Ed Martin recounts Schlafly and Buckley's frosty post-debate scene: “He didn't even call a cab for me. He was so pissed.” (04:03)

2. National Review and Conservative Infighting

Mark Hemingway Segment: 10:30–12:58, 19:29–23:08, 25:10–26:48

• National Review’s “Brutal” Attack:
  Hemingway joins to deconstruct the anniversary article, which accuses Schlafly of demagoguery and employs loaded references (e.g., calling her a "virtuoso of the paranoid style"). He contextualizes this as conservative elites’ retaliation for the populist turn in the GOP catalyzed by Schlafly’s book A Choice Not an Echo and Goldwater’s 1964 campaign.

• Connecting Schlafly’s Populism to Trump:
  The narrative that Schlafly “paved the way” for Trump is used as a cudgel by anti-Trump conservatives in elite circles, which Hemingway fundamentally rejects.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It really is just a Jeremiah that goes hammer and tongs against Schlafly for being a, you know, sophist and a propagandist.” — Mark Hemingway (11:28)
• “Populism is very much a reaction from ordinary people responding to real forces in their lives, I think. And they're simply not in touch with that.” — Mark Hemingway (23:08)

3. Present and Future of the Populist Right

(After ad break ~17:05 onward, with Bannon’s analysis)

• Democratic Ground Game & GOP Division:
  Bannon looks ahead to Election Day, predicting mainstream media and Democrats will declare Trump’s movement finished following expected losses, due partly to Trump being sidelined in key races. He blames establishment Republicans ("Conservative Inc.") for not recognizing Trump’s pull with base voters and for failing to fight redistricting battles effectively.

• National Review’s Relevance:
  Bannon decries the National Review's dismissiveness of populist tactics and their distaste for the Trump “brawler mentality,” arguing the political left is engaged in “neo-Marxist jihadist takeover” tactics not answerable by polite debate.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “If you don't have Trump, you don't have victory.” — Steve Bannon (15:09)
• “The greatest political force in the 21st century is absent in all of them. The great minds out there figure Trump wouldn't help.” — Steve Bannon (14:16)

4. DOJ "Weaponization," J6, and Calls for Accountability

Julie Kelly Segment: 32:21–42:32

• Controversial Judicial Conduct:
  Focus on Judge Jeb Boasberg’s "non-disclosure orders," which prevented telecommunications companies from informing members of Congress about subpoenas for their personal communications—now drawing protests from senators like Ted Cruz, after previously being ignored when only Trump allies and J6 protestors were targeted.

• Kelly Calls Out Hypocrisy:
  Critiques GOP lawmakers who labeled J6 as "domestic terror," now facing invasive DOJ actions themselves:

  • "Now all of a sudden they want the FBI held accountable...this is very frustrating and I've heard from J6ers who are very frustrated." — Julie Kelly (36:45)

• Impeachment Case for Judge Boasberg:
  Kelly outlines legal grounds (deprivation of rights, conspiracy, false statements) and accuses the judge of rubber-stamping Biden DOJ/J6 fishing expeditions with no real evidence, saying it constitutes a "criminal racket."

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "He said that he found reasonable grounds...such a disclosure notifying them of the subpoena will result in destruction of or tampering with evidence...That's a flat out lie." — Julie Kelly (39:19)
• "You allowed the FBI, the same FBI that came for you...He was silent in the face of that happening." — Julie Kelly (36:20)
• Memorable moment: Kelly flags the FBI claiming a longtime conservative is a Putin asset, as part of the broad Arctic Frost investigation (40:46).

5. Georgia Election Battle and Ongoing 2020 Disputes

Sally Grubbs Segment: 49:02–51:22

• Fight for Ballot Transparency in Georgia:
  Bannon turns to Georgia, pushing for aggressive federal intervention (U.S. Marshals seizure of ballots). Grubbs explains the status: subpoenas have been sent, ballots preserved by court order, warrants and grand jury action needed.

• Enduring Frustration:
  Guests highlight the years-long fight since 2020 and allege stonewalling by Georgia officials—the refusal to resolve disputes over “certification” because it could expose the claimed inability to certify the election’s honesty.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Georgia is the low hanging fruit. Georgia is a place where it's all set up, ready to go....The only unfortunate part is, is that there need to be warrants issued. We need to have a grand jury impaneled, and we need a U.S. attorney...to enforce the law. That's what we need, and we need it yesterday.” — Sally Grubbs (49:19)
• Bannon’s call to action: “Send a US frickin marshal down there and seize those ballots. This is outrageous. You're in this fight or you're not and let's have a great unmasking and let's do it right now.” (51:42)

Notable Quotes (By Timestamp/Speaker)

• Ed Martin:
  • "Courage. When you know what you believe in, as Phyllis used to say, you just gotta stand for it. And there's gonna be cost..." (07:25)
• Steve Bannon:
  • "This nationalism I fully embrace and it's really what I stood for. It was a monumental moment when she [Phyllis Schlafly] came out and backed [Trump] and never wavered." (06:20)
  • “If you don't have Trump, you don't have victory.” (15:09)
• Mark Hemingway:
  • “Populism is what elected Reagan....The Reagan revolution was largely a populist thing.” (20:27)
  • “Populism is very much a reaction from ordinary people responding to real forces in their lives....They're simply not in touch with that.” (23:08)
• Julie Kelly:
  • “It was always the basis we talked about. I wrote a book on it. I mean, it said January 6 is being used to launch a war on terror against the political right, meaning MAGA.” (36:17)
• Sally Grubbs:
  • “If you think about it, certifying the presidential election to your point about the Electoral act, this is why they push for certification without justification.” (51:07)

Important Timestamps & Sections

• 00:37–07:24 — Ed Martin on Schlafly, populism, Panama Canal
• 10:30–12:58 — Mark Hemingway on National Review’s attack piece
• 19:29–23:08 — Deeper analysis of the conservative/populist schism
• 32:21–42:32 — Julie Kelly on Judge Boasberg, DOJ/FBI/J6, new GOP pushback
• 49:02–51:22 — Sally Grubbs on ongoing Georgia ballot fight, calls for direct action

Recurring Themes & Tone

• Combativeness:
  The tone is unapologetically combative and insurgent; Bannon and guests position themselves as voices for the grassroots, taking on both establishment Republican elites and progressive adversaries.
• Populist Nostalgia:
  Schlafly and Trump are lionized for courage, clear-eyed nationalism, and willingness to break with polite establishment norms.
• Urgency and Warning:
  The stakes are repeatedly described as existential—“civilization moments,” “the biggest comeback,” and the idea that “courage is contagious.”

Conclusion

This episode provides a detailed, emotionally charged defense of Phyllis Schlafly's populist legacy and its extension through Trump, while sharply criticizing the "establishment right" as personified by the National Review. The guests and Bannon draw connections between past and present struggles, highlighting ongoing legal, political, and cultural conflicts within the conservative movement and against the broader left. The segments close with calls to action regarding judicial accountability (targeting Judge Boasberg) and aggressive measures to contest ongoing 2020 election disputes in Georgia.

For listeners seeking a populist, anti-elite, "fight until the last" perspective from the Trump right, this War Room episode offers both retrospective argument and current battle plan.