THE WAR ROOM WITH STEPHEN K. BANNON (EP.5109)

Date: January 31, 2026
Host: Steve Bannon
Notable Guests: E.J. Antoni, Rosemary Jenks, Mike Lindell, Ben Berkwam, David Schaefer (plus various officials and commentators)

Episode Overview

This explosively charged episode of The War Room with Steve Bannon centers on the turbulent state of American politics leading up to the 2026 and 2028 elections. The discussion is dominated by themes of government overreach, media suppression, election integrity controversies (especially in Georgia and Minnesota), economic updates, concerns about foreign-born labor, and inflamed street protests across major U.S. cities.

Bannon and his guests present a narrative of a regime in crisis—a government cracking down on dissent, shifting labor away from native-born Americans, and fomenting unrest on U.S. streets. The episode weaves together grassroots political strategies, economic commentary, policy critique, and warnings about authoritarianism from both the left and right.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DOJ Crackdown and Journalistic Freedom

• Steve Bannon blasts a reported late-night DOJ raid/arrest on himself, framing it as an attack on the First Amendment and journalism:
  • "I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now." (02:06)
  • "I will not be silenced. I look forward to my day in court." (02:57)
• Sets the tone for a wide-ranging critique of what the hosts describe as increasing authoritarianism in America.

2. Escalating Street Unrest & Civil Conflict Narrative

• Violent protests and street marches in Minneapolis and Los Angeles are discussed as evidence of disorder and government failure (10:30, 19:52, 43:12).
  • "Yesterday you had what, 20 or 30,000 people out there... they took over the streets and had a march. Most of it was peaceful, but the rhetoric was very hot." (10:30)
  • Ben Berkwam: "It was the prelude to the death of Western civilization." (43:12)
• Consequences of government loss of control, the rise of “Red-Green” (communist-Islamist-globalist) alliances, and the need for “a show of force” are repeatedly referenced.

3. Georgia Election Integrity Battles

• Fulton County/2020 Ballot Seizure: Ongoing controversy over 2020 election ballots in Georgia, with allegations of federal overreach, ballot raids, and state-level incompetence:
  • David Schaefer (Unidentified GA Official): "It's my opinion that Fulton County, Georgia, has been a target of this administration since 2020..." (05:12, 49:04)
  • "We at Fulton County can no longer be held responsible or liable for the contents of those boxes..." (07:53)
• David Schaefer:
  • "The 2020 election in Georgia was a dumpster fire of ineptitude... The irony is that the problems pointed out have never been investigated—they've only investigated the people who pointed out the problems." (50:52)
  • Critique of Georgia GOP leaders for failing to protect election integrity under pressure.

4. Immigrant Labor, H1B/H2B Visa Controversies & Economic Critique

• E.J. Antoni explains labor market shifts:
  • "All that great labor market performance we kept hearing about in the mainstream media was basically just foreign born workers getting jobs. Under Trump, that situation has completely flipped..." (26:08)
  • Entry-level tech jobs, in particular, being lost to H1B visa holders as AI/automation rises.
• Rosemary Jenks:
  • "If you are laying off American workers, you should not be allowed to apply for a foreign worker, period." (37:39)
  • Explains impact of companies hiring foreign workers for low wage jobs, squeezing out Americans, and calls for the H1B and H2B programs to be shut down entirely (35:08, 37:39).

5. Minneapolis & Minnesota: Somali Community Controversy and Political Turmoil

• Mike Lindell on MN governor race and fraud allegations:
  • "This is just a big cover up for the Ilhan Omar and all the Somalian fraud, the biggest fraud this country's ever seen... we're not letting up." (19:52)
  • Proposes firing officials, banning sharia law, and enforcing protester laws if elected governor.
• Emphasizes large-scale marches and infighting within MN GOP, and the establishment's resistance to outsider candidates.

6. Authoritarianism, "Siege Mentality," and Grassroots Resistance

• Bannon and Guests frame current events as a “primal scream of a dying regime,” warning supporters to brace for a long struggle:
  • "This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people." (09:40)
  • Ben Berkwam: "People need to get ready for that and begin to strategize... this is not a thing that's going to end when the siege of Minneapolis ends..." (07:25)

7. Economic Update: Fed Policy, Kevin Warsh, and Gold

• Steve Bannon and E.J. Antoni discuss the likelihood of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair, lauding him as pragmatic and pro-Main Street:
  • "Kevin Warsh... is an institutionalist with the Fed. You're not going to get a guy that's going to end the Fed or break up the Fed... he's a strong dollar guy." (13:21)
  • E.J. Antoni: "The result was a series of asset bubbles created throughout the economy that did wonders for Wall Street, but they just left Main Street with the inflation... Warsh wants to unwind this entire really novel monetary framework..." (14:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Steve Bannon:
  "I have no idea what's going on because obviously I haven't seen anything. I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now." (02:06)
• David Schaefer:
  "It's my opinion that Fulton County, Georgia, has been a target of this administration since 2020..." (05:12)
• Ben Berkwam:
  "It was the prelude to the death of Western civilization... Watch those videos. Send LA to your friends. Send Austin. And you think you're safe in Texas, you're screwed." (43:12)
• Mike Lindell:
  "This is just a big cover up for the Ilhan Omar and all the Somalian fraud, the biggest fraud this country's ever seen." (19:52)
• Rosemary Jenks:
  "It is just completely absurd that a company can be laying off American workers and hiring H1B workers at the same time... If you are hiring, if you're laying off American workers, you should not be allowed to apply for a foreign worker, period. Full stop." (37:39)
• Steve Bannon:
  "This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies because we're going medieval on these people." (09:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:06 | Bannon addresses DOJ raid and defense of press freedom | | 04:31 | Specter of violence/civil unrest and citizen journalism | | 05:12 | Georgia official on federal targeting and ballot issues | | 10:30 | Discussion: street protests in Minneapolis & LA | | 13:21 | Kevin Warsh/Fed/Gold discussion with E.J. Antoni | | 19:52 | Mike Lindell on MN political chaos and election fraud | | 26:08 | Labor market, AI, and foreign worker issues | | 35:08 | Rosemary Jenks on H2B expansion and American jobs | | 37:39 | Jenks: H1B layoffs and “compassion for Americans” | | 43:12 | Ben Berkwam: “Prelude to the death of Western civilization” | 50:52 | David Schaefer on Georgia’s 2020 election flaws |

Additional Highlights

• Grassroots Political Calls-to-Action:
  Both Bannon and guests urge listeners to get involved—marches, primaries, debates, supporting grassroots candidates, and resisting “establishment” GOP figures.
• Economic Preparedness:
  Frequent references to gold as a hedge and skepticism of current Federal Reserve policy.
• Media as “The Watchers”:
  Repeated praise for independent journalists and average citizens documenting events on the ground with phones—framing them as a bulwark against state power.

Conclusion

Episode 5109 of The War Room delivers an intense, battle-hardened assessment of the political landscape as seen from the MAGA movement’s vanguard. Election integrity, resistance to foreign influence (especially via immigration and labor), street protests, and warnings against authoritarian government power animate this charged broadcast. For those who missed the episode, this summary captures the sense of siege, urgency, and rallying cries for grassroots action that define the War Room's current rhetoric.