THE WAR ROOM WITH STEPHEN K. BANNON, JANUARY 1ST, 2026 (EP.#5037)

Summary

Real America’s Voice: The War Room with Stephen K. Bannon – Episode #5037

Date: January 1, 2026

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Episode Overview

The first War Room episode of 2026 gathers Steve Bannon, co-hosts Dave Bratt and Ben Harnwell, to set the tone for a pivotal election year. The conversation focuses on personal motivation, the power of individual agency (especially as an American ideal), spiritual grounding, and the future of the MAGA movement. The hosts revisit classic American themes through pop culture (“It’s a Wonderful Life”), discuss the role of religion and metaphysics in national renewal, and offer advice for the year ahead – both practically and spiritually. The tone is candid, philosophical, and combative, with an undercurrent of populist optimism.

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Main Topics & Discussion Points

1. New Year’s Reflections and Motivation

• Dave Bratt shares his approach to New Year’s resolutions (04:01), classic self-improvement goals, and deeper spiritual inventory. He argues for an external, metaphysical grounding:
  • Quote: “Every culture on earth knows there is a judge... Plato knew it. Aristotle knew it. The Jews knew it. The Greeks knew it. The Hindus know it. Islam knows it. Christians know it. There is a judge and there's up and down at the end of the day.” (04:57)
  • He cautions against the loss of metaphysics in modern culture and education, urging parents to “push” their children toward a sense of agency and hope.
• Steve Bannon and Bratt cite Rodney Stark’s works as inspirational histories of the Christian West. Bannon sees such books as ways Americans can “connect the dots back to your heritage and what's so special about your heritage in the Judeo-Christian West.” (07:29)

2. Ben Harnwell’s British Perspective

• Harnwell reacts humorously to being called “joyful,” insisting his persona (and by “brand”) is to be a “miserable Brit,” tied to the “dour” state of modern Britain (09:03).
  • Quote: “Of course, we are more joyful when we are outside of the UK... it's a third rate, third world hole... we Brits are miserable by instinct, by inclination, by nature.” (09:53)
• On New Year’s resolutions, Harnwell declines, joking about lacking willpower and the inevitability of defeat (10:59).
  • Quote: “Perhaps I'll have, perhaps in the evening when I decompress, I'll have a smaller shot of whiskey. Well, you know, that's not going to last 24 hours, is it really?” (11:16)

3. American Agency & Populism

• Harnwell lauds “human agency” as central to the American character, contrasting the self-determination of Americans with European traditions and the unsuitability of monarchy to the US ethos (12:19):
  • Quote: “There is nothing more American than people deciding to take their own destinies into their own hands, make themselves the protagonists of their own destiny. That is, you know, that's why the idea of monarchy... wouldn't work in America because it just goes against the American spirit.”
• Steve Bannon frames 2026 as the “toughest year,” with entrenched “established order” resisting movement-driven change. He and Harnwell agree internal “splits” in the MAGA movement are inevitable and, ultimately, healthy: prioritizing “America First” (14:03-15:11).
  • Quote (Harnwell): “It is necessary to get a few things straight... absolute prioritization of America First within the MAGA movement... this is something that only Americans can do for themselves.” (14:03)

4. Pop Culture as Moral Anchor

• The hosts listen to and analyze the finale of It’s a Wonderful Life (19:36–23:24), emphasizing its message of soul over material wealth.
  • Quote (Dave Bratt): “George, you're the richest man in town. He's not the richest monetarily, he's the richest because he's got the biggest soul.” (25:05)
• Bratt ties the film’s theme to agency and adversity: internal fortitude leads to triumph through hardship, “on God’s time, not your own.” (25:05-27:38)
• Harnwell builds on the idea that “ordinary lives can bend the universe,” reaffirming small, personal fidelity’s power in wider societal shifts (27:50).

5. Spiritual Agency, Holy Spirit, and 2026 Predictions

• The team shifts to practical and spiritual advice for the coming year.
  • Steve Bannon: The fight ahead will be bitter and won’t be “about affordability,” but about deeper systemic struggle (33:41).
  • Dave Bratt: Warns of opposing “Antichrist” forces in culture/politics, arguing for “steel” rooted in Christian faith, not brute force (“All those films you were just showing had strong men in them... Today we feminized everything, we've softened everything... Love into an emotion and a feeling instead of a practice.”) (35:37-38:41).
  • Harnwell: Sees 2026 as a year of necessary intra-movement “house cleaning,” predicting denominational divisions among Christians will fade; mutual recognition will be between those “motivated by the Holy Spirit” (38:55-42:05).
    • Quote: “As we move forward from here, people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit will recognize other people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit. And the opposite is going to be true as well...” (40:23)
• The role of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of Mark is discussed, emphasizing Christianity's demand for interior conversion over “exterior observance.” (43:10–45:39)
  • Quote (Harnwell): “To change yourself or to allow yourself to be changed by the Holy Spirit is a lot more difficult because it involves our will, your affections... Our desires fixate on things which are not God... Dealing with the Holy Spirit, you're there right in the immediate nexus of interior conversion.” (43:17)

6. Final Guidance for Listeners

• Dave Bratt’s closing encouragement: stay unified under God, not individual personalities, and recognize that true conservatism is spiritual first (51:05):
  • Quote: “I’m only on one team. I’m on God’s team... There’s only one place to unite... unite under God and under Jesus. That is true conservatism. That’s what gave us this great country...” (51:06)
• Ben Harnwell’s parting message (52:03): “Let’s just try to be the best witness to Jesus Christ that we can possibly be in the sphere that Christ has put us in with the grace of Christ. And that, I think, is the best that we can do... We do that, we will be the yeast that makes the bread rise.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There is nothing more American than people deciding to take their own destinies into their own hands.”
  – Ben Harnwell (12:19)
• “George, you're the richest man in town. He's not the richest monetarily, he's the richest because he's got the biggest soul.”
  – Dave Bratt (25:05)
• “Ordinary lives can bend the universe.”
  – Ben Harnwell (27:50)
• “As we move forward from here, people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit will recognize other people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit. And the opposite is going to be true as well...”
  – Ben Harnwell (40:23)
• “Unite under God and under Jesus. And if we all unite that way, that is true conservatism.”
  – Dave Bratt (51:06)
• “Let’s just try to be the best witness to Jesus Christ that we can possibly be in the sphere that Christ has put us in with the grace of Christ.”
  – Ben Harnwell (52:03)

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Key Timestamps

• New Year’s Reflections, Resolutions & Metaphysics: 02:38–07:15
• Joyful ‘Miserable Brit’ Banter & Cultural Decline in UK: 08:32–11:50
• Agency as the American Genius, MAGA and Populism: 12:19–15:11
• It’s a Wonderful Life Scene & Moral Analysis: 19:36–29:19
• Preparing for 2026 – Spiritual & Political Agency: 33:41–45:39
• Holy Spirit’s Role & Spiritual Renewal: 42:05–45:39
• Closing Thoughts & Calls to Action: 51:05–53:24

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Summary for New Listeners

This episode—special for New Year’s Day 2026—dives into what animates both the MAGA movement and individual American spirit: the idea that ordinary people, drawing on faith and self-reliance, can shape their destiny and society. Bannon, Bratt, and Harnwell weave together personal reflection, historical narrative, and spiritual exhortation. They tackle the year’s coming political and societal challenges, emphasizing internal agency, Christian metaphysics, and the enduring power of witness and unity “under God.” The episode blends humor, cultural criticism, and resolve, ending on a note of purposeful optimism and renewal.

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For best effect, listen from 02:38 for the full discussion; the story arc from pop culture to politics to faith frames the episode’s message: 2026 will be as great as Americans—united and spiritually grounded—make it, together.

Transcript

[Ben Harnwell]

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[Dave Bratt]

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[Josh Whalen]

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[Steve Bannon]

Be forgot and days of all. Should all equate. Oh, kindness yet and days of falling sun. Okay, welcome back. It is Thursday, the 1st of January, year of the Lord 2026. First time we get to say that, right? Dave, brat your thoughts. How do you motivate yourself? You do an inventory of where you've gone and when you start the year. Your motivational force. How do you think things through? Do you make New Year's resolutions or is that too. That too passe for you?

[Dave Bratt]

Yeah, I make all the normal ones, you know, get in shape and try to save a few more bucks and all that kind of thing. But I'll just, you know, go further on what Ben Harnwell was saying. And Harnwell, you know, he's another joyful guy I like watching. I always watch his Catholic shows at 6pm he's very good. Even through those beady eyes. There's a sense of joy in him and his sense of humor. There's a genius in there. You know, he did the genius types, they got the humor thing and so he teed up. You know this. He's great. I love. I even watched the trad, trad mass debate this week to educate myself on you guys. But in addition to his internal thing, right, The Crusades. Yeah, I'm all for it. The Crusades. Go read Rodney Stark on the triumph of the West. Rodney Stark does a whole upside down on your Catholic tradition. And you guys have gotten a short shrift there in the long history of ideas. But in addition to the internal piece, which everybody in the United States is in, his internal piece because it's linked to, you know, modern psychology and Freud and all this stuff, there is also an external piece that gets overlooked. God. God has built in a metaphysics in the beginning. God created in Genesis 1. Right. Every culture on earth knows there is a judge. Plato knew it. Aristotle knew it. The Jews knew it. The Greeks knew it. The Hindus know it. Islam knows it. Christians know it. There is a judge and there's up and down at the end of the day, right. I'm not gonna. I want to stay positive here, but there is an up that judge. You better find out who that judge is, because everybody knows there's a judge. You know, that even the liberals know there's a judge. Their worldview is totally whacked right now. And we got to explore that deeply because there's some problems that are affecting our country and our schools, and we got to get at that. But you got to find out who is that judge, because that is going to affect your eternity and your life here. And then what are the rules of that judge? And just to give you the good news, there's a joyful answer that that's why I can be chipper. Right. There's good news when you find out who that judge is and what that judge has done for us. There's good news. And that was Christmas. Right. And so. But there is an external piece that we've just left behind due TO K to 12 Education in the schools and all that. And I encourage all you parents, right, as you reflect on your own goals for the new year, how you're going to make yourself happier. And that is the one thing we can do, is our sense of agency. Right? We do. You do control yourself and every young kid in this country. There is hope if the parents push them and the kid goes out and learns and takes advantage of things. You can still do well individually, even though this country is such a mess. And so internally. Right. I covered it in the. In the last hour. Harnwell did a great job. But I just wanted to add, there is the external metaphysics, right above the physics. There are rules to the cosmos, and everybody has known this through all human history. If you don't know that, go study that because that'll add to your confidence when you come to reach your own conclusions, which only you can do.

[Steve Bannon]

Rodney Stark. Wasn't Rodney Stark at, I don't say Baylor. He was at the big Baptist college. Is it Baylor? He was a. Yeah, I think it was Dallas Baptist College. Was.

[Dave Bratt]

Yeah, he was a Baptist histor.

[Steve Bannon]

Yeah, he was a Baptist, but he's a Baptist historian. But you can't do better on studying the Christian west than Rodney Stark. I mean, he goes through how the west overcame things. I mean, if you want to get pumped up, you read one of Rodney Stark's books on the Christian west and you can see, you can connect the dots that go back of your heritage and what's so special about your heritage in the Judeo Christian West. It does an amazing job. Ben Harmwell, let me go to you. End of the year, your inventory. Do you make New Year's resolutions? Do you. How do you fire off the. How do you fire off the football in the new year? Because we're getting people all the stuff that we talk about we're going to have packed shows every day from now into the, you know, into the future. But today's really good. Get everybody kind of set in their. Their mindset about the battle space we're going to go into and how it comes down to individual human agency to kind of pull this together. Your thoughts about Ben Harnwell?

[Ben Harnwell]

Well, before I do New Year's resolutions, I have to respond to something that Dave Bratt just said when he called me a joyful person. I was horrified when he said that, because that's really going to destroy and undermine my miserable Brit Persona. That's my brand being a miserable Brit. If Dave Brack calls me joyful, I can see that brand being demonstrated diminished quite instantly in terms of New Year's resolutions. I don't make things.

[Steve Bannon]

But hang on. But hang on, is it. But I've noticed this. The reason, the reason you're joyful is that the Brits that are expatriates, and maybe this is just my prejudice, being Irish, against the Brits, although I am to agree, an Anglophile, I noticed. And you'd studied Lord Nelson. When they're in the Mediterranean, when they're in the Caribbean. And of course the Brits love sunshine. That's why they all flock to Florida. They're in LA in the film community, but is. And the expat community in Rome is more upbeat. I mean, aren't Brits more upbeat when they're out of England? Because England gets a little dour with the weather, that when you particularly get the southern climes like the Mediterranean and the Caribbean and Southern California, they always have another spring in their steps.

[Ben Harnwell]

Of course, we are more joyful when we are outside of the uk, not only because of the weather, because in recent decades, the UK has been diminished into. I don't want to ruin the festive cheer, but the UK really has been run into the ground. It's a third rate, third World hole. It really is, to use President Trump's glorious use of that word, applied to the uk. And of course, people are just miserable gits in the UK because what are they going to be smiling about is miserable, gray, raining, expensive, overpriced. And of course, we Brits are miserable by. By instinct, by inclination, by nature. So anyway, I just wanted to come back. I just wanted to come sort of come back on Dave Bratt calling me a joyful person. Because that's. That's off Dave. That's off brand for Harnwell. I try to be as dour as possible on all occasions.

[Steve Bannon]

So are you New Year's resolutions or not?

[Ben Harnwell]

No, no, of course not. I don't have the willpower to keep them. It just, it's just depressing. Oh, oh, oh, you know. Oh, you know, you're human.

[Steve Bannon]

You're a human weakness. Your human weakness becomes evident a couple of days.

[Dave Bratt]

Why set myself.

[Ben Harnwell]

A couple of days. That's optimistic. Why set myself up for, for the inevitable defeat? What was the point? Oh, perhaps. Perhaps I'll have, perhaps in the evening when I decompress, I'll have a smaller shot of whiskey. Well, you know, that's not going to last 24 hours, is it really? And then, you know, so what's the point of setting yourself up the. These great targets and, and collapsing at the first hurdle before you even made into January 2nd? No, I don't bother with, with, with news, resolutions. No.

[Steve Bannon]

Talk about human agency. Talk about human agency. We've had a great run here of people being inspired and taking it upon themselves to accomplish things. You're seeing it, you know, with these 18 to 25 or 24, 25 year olds on your show on Wednesday, what's happening with this kind of revival movement inside the Christian churches and somewhat inside the Catholic churches. Talk to me about human agency, the importance of it.

[Ben Harnwell]

You know, if you wanted to ask what is the merit, you know, what is uniquely part of the American genius? It's that it's human agency. There is nothing more American than people deciding to take their own destinies into their own hands, make themselves that, make themselves the protagonists of their own destiny. That is, you know, that's, that's why, that's why the idea of monarchy, despite whatever the left are saying about no kings and all the rest of it, the monarchy wouldn't work in America because it just goes against the American spirit. The American spirit is we can do things for ourselves. We don't need to be told what to do. We don't need government. We can do just. We just need, you know, as you say constantly, Steve, really what, what the ordinary regular guy wants is just a fair, A fair chance, a fair shot at being able to succeed. That's the difference between Americans and Europeans. But I'll expand on this in the next break if you want.

[Steve Bannon]

Well, if we got a couple of minutes, we're going to play this entire song underneath our voice just real quickly. Do you think in the year ahead, you know, because year after year it, politically we're now into, as I tell people, I think this is the toughest year we're going to have. Because it's all on the table here and we kind of see what you're up against. The established order. Right. Part of it's very radical, but part of it's just very commercial, but it does not want to budge. We're going to have to hammer it down. Do you see the year ahead of us as I do?

[Ben Harnwell]

Exactly. In exactly that way? If you're looking at the secular press, the mainstream media, I think it's been a little bit too early to start writing the obituary of MAGA in indicating some of the splits that exist in this movement. These splits are going to grow in 2026, in this year. It's absolutely necessary that they do that because finally, I think after 10 years of this developing movement, it is necessary to get a few things straight. And one of those things is, I think, the absolute prioritization of America first within the MAGA movement. And that coming back to the agency thing, don't look to. We shouldn't look to leaders in order to re establish the priorities of this movement going forward for the next generation. This is something that Americans, and only Americans can do this for themselves. Only MAGA can do this for its self. And it's a very healthy thing. And the movement's gonna. We're gonna win, you know, everything that the war room stands for. We are going to win this battle. And the movement's gonna be a lot healthier for it.

[Steve Bannon]

Absolutely. Very powerful. This is what a populist movement's all about. And that's what from the very beginning of the foundation of our culture country, from the Mayflower Compact all the way through to the revolution. It's always been on the shoulders of the people to drive this forward. It's what you decide. It's not what people tell you what's going to decide, it's what you decide. That's why this year is going to be so incredibly tough because people are going to try to knock you off your game at every second. Okay, take a short commercial break. We come back, we're going to do one of the holiday season, one of Christmas season's favorite movies. We're going to do the powerful ending of it. And I'm going to turn to Dave Bratt and Ben Harnwell for their analysis. Short commercial break. Back in the warm in just a moment.

[Dave Bratt]

J.

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[Josh Whalen]

If you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication, listen up at Joy and Blokes when you start TRT or Enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription for just $1 a month. $1 add ons with your hormone plan and right now all labs are 50% off. I'm Josh Whalen, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or Enclomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get [e-mail] and use a promo code. Podcast new customers get 50% off their labs and for a limited time, you can take advantage of our $1ed or hair loss add ons when you start TRT or enclomiphene. Not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn [e-mail] Come in Uncle Billy.

[Dave Bratt]

Everybody in?

[Ben Harnwell]

George.

[Steve Bannon]

Isn't it wonderful?

[Dave Bratt]

So many p Mary did it, George. Mary did it. She told some people you were in trouble in it. They scattered all over town collecting money. Didn't ask any question, just George in trouble. Another run on the bank. There we are. The lime corns on the right. Change your mind? I really this money for divorce if ever I get a husband. There you are, George. I got the faculty all left out of business. I wouldn't have a roof over my head if it wasn't for you, George. Just a minute. Just a minute. Quiet everybody.

[Steve Bannon]

Quiet. Quiet. Now get this. It's from London. Oh, Mr. Gower cabled you need cash.

[Josh Whalen]

Stop.

[Steve Bannon]

My office instructed to advance you up to $25,000.

[Ben Harnwell]

Stop.

[Steve Bannon]

Hee Haw and merry Christmas.

[Dave Bratt]

Sam Wainwright, Mr. Martini.

[Steve Bannon]

How about some wine?

[Dave Bratt]

Saint. Mary. I got him here from the airport just as quick as I could. The fool flew all the way up.

[Ben Harnwell]

Here in a blizzard.

[Dave Bratt]

Oh, Harry. Now, Mr.

[Steve Bannon]

Band for the New York.

[Ben Harnwell]

Oh, I left right in the middle.

[Commercial Announcer]

Of it as soon as I got Mary's telegram.

[Steve Bannon]

Good idea, Ernie.

[Dave Bratt]

A toast.

[Steve Bannon]

To my big brother George, the richest man in town. That's a Christmas present from a very dear friend of mine.

[Dave Bratt]

Look, Daddy, Teacher says every time a.

[Steve Bannon]

Bell rings, an angel gets his wings. That's right.

[Commercial Announcer]

That's right.

[Josh Whalen]

Atta boy.

[Steve Bannon]

Climbs. Okay, that's Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. The ending, some people don't know. The movie was actually kind of financially bombed when it came out. It was for those celebratory days, I guess, post World War II. Because I think this film came out in 46 or 47. It was a little out of step for the times. It was only later when the copyright, they didn't perfect the copyright that started to be shown on independent television. That became a classic. And then Ted Turner got it and ran the sprockets off of. Became a absolute classic. Jimmy Stewart, we always talk about the film 12 o' clock high. Jimmy Stewart was 12 o' clock high. He was in a flying fortress over Germany and was a very highly decorated pilot. Stayed in the military, even though he came back, became a bigger star than ever. Even before the. Before the war, which many of the folks didn't. Jimmy Stewart eventually became, I think, a brigadier general in the United States Air Force Reserve. Dave Bratt. Frank Capra's A Wonderful Life is a classic now, when it first came out, didn't really get traction. Right. Your thoughts? What does Wonderful Life mean to you, sir?

[Dave Bratt]

Yeah, well, it means that right there, George, you're the richest man in town. He's not the richest monetarily, he's the richest because he's got the biggest soul. And that's, you know, that's been what we've been talking about with Harnwell, the joyful Harnwell and every. All the themes you've been covering. We're talking about human agency. And I want to tie this to the young people because I want the young people to see the beauty of this film. Right? But it wasn't a hit back then, because back then you had a bunch of great people, great Christian, spiritual people. And it didn't stand out today. That movie stands out like a sore thumb. That George today on this planet. If he was in Congress, he'd get kicked out within a week. And it's that stark difference right now that people go back. And that's what I was saying before. You look in a rearview mirror and you see the meaning of things. And so I just tried to connect the dots before, but I just want to connect them very shorthand, clearly, agency. To have the Crusades, you have to first have internal fortitude and motivation. And that's why I tried to bring up, in addition to Christ inside internal, that we're all going that way. There's also the external, right? There is God. And you can look to the greatest ethicists on this earth, Kant, K A N T. The fatal critique of Kant was there was no motivator for the ethical. And when people say, be ethical, there's no such thing as ethical. But no one knows that anymore. There's different ethical systems, but there is God. God is the great motivator of action. And that's why Harnwell and you and the War Room, that that's the piece that matters. And the young people, right, we're focusing on. We certainly want what's good for everybody. We want housing and affordability and everything. But don't lose track. You can be the richest man in town if you got that soul first. You will get through the hard times like George did in that movie. You will get through it. And you're on God's time, not on your own. We all. I've had tough patches, tough things, lasting things throughout your whole life that are brutal. But you stay true and God will meet you. God will give you glimmers and flickers of light, and he'll meet you along the way. And so that, you know, I just want to offer that to people that is the true motivator for agency, for everything else to come. If we don't have that, this country will not move forward the way we all want to see it.

[Steve Bannon]

You know, it's really. The film's a perfect bookend for. For 12 o' clock high, which is about the beginning of the war. This is about the end of the war. Ben Harnwell, your thoughts?

[Ben Harnwell]

I think that film says a lot better than I was trying to earlier on in the show. You know, the point about being the best. Just responding as best you can to the Holy Spirit in whatever sphere the Holy Spirit has put you. What's the theme of the film is? Is it not that sort of ordinary lives can bend the universe, to put it like that. That's what I'm trying to say. I think wrapping it into the theme that you are mentioning before, Steve, about human agency. What I was saying before, you know, I don't know whether we're going to win the battle to keep Christendom Christian. I'd sit on our Christmas Eve show. It's wrong to say that we're. That Europe is post Christian. It's really pre Islamic. I don't know whether we're going to turn that around. And in a sense, we can't be responsible for the big picture beyond our own immediate sphere of action. What we have to do is be as coherent as we can to the gospel in our own sphere and let the Holy Spirit take take control of the rest. I think you can. I think, you know, that there's, you know, it's a. Obviously I'm making a political argument and A Wonderful Life is more of a. A Christian assurance type argument, but I think the two themes are, you know, are. Reinforce one another. They say the same thing in different ways.

[Steve Bannon]

Ben Harnwell, Dave, Brad, you're going to stick with me. We're going to talk about what people are going to need, the energy, the, the focus, the higher purpose for the year ahead of us. It's going to be a tough year, tons of opportunities. Many, many, many great things are going to happen, but they're only going to happen if we put our shoulder to the wheel. There's just not going to happen. It's going to. The action is going to have to be driven. It's going to have to be driven by this audience. Take a short commercial break. Leave you with another great rendition of this amazing song. We'll be back in the warm in just a moment.

[Ben Harnwell]

Sing more than. Kindness yet for all thine and here's a hand my trusty friend and he's a handle.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Dave Bratt]

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[Josh Whalen]

If you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication, listen up at Joy and Blokes when you start TRT or Enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription for just $1 a month. $1 add ons with your hormone plan and right now all labs are 50% off. I'm Josh Whand, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or Enclomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get [e-mail] and use a promo code podcast. New customers get 50% off their labs and for a limited time you can take advantage of our $1 ed or hair loss add ons when you start TRT or Enclomiphene. Not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn more at joy and blokes.com.

[Steve Bannon]

Welcome back, Dave Brad, let me start with you. We've got to have a very tough year. We got, you know, midterms. You have all this happening as soon as we get back. People are going to be overwhelmed with information and what's going on and focused on what is your recommendation to people to maximize use of their agency, both for themselves, for their families, their communities, their church and for their country. The reason people come to the war room is obviously they have a very strong instinct or attraction to working with people together in some sort of team environment to save this country and return America to our greatness. That's why this has always been the the bedrock of MAGA and the Trump movement in support of President Trump. Although as everybody knows, on different policies, we're not 100% there on every policy as you wouldn't expect to be. But what is your because this one's going to be a tough one. I tell people, particularly as the economy, I think turns around and as I see the Numbers, I think you see it turning right now. It's not perfect, I realize for working class people, for middle class. A lot of people feel left out. I've also don't buy the argument. I have to disagree with the vice president and the president that this 26 midterms are going to be about affordability. I think we're going to go past that because I do think you see the rate of inflation starting to lower and we're never going to go back and unwind the prices in many regards that Biden kind of dumped on us with all this federal spending, but that you are going to see the economy turn as far as growth and jobs and wages and all that. I think that's coming, but we're still. Then I think the fight even gets nastier. One of the realities is what you're seeing in Minneapolis and other places is not a bug, it's a feature of the system. And that has to be destroyed. It has to, or we're not going to have a country. Dave Bratt, your thoughts, sir?

[Dave Bratt]

Yeah, well, I was just going quick in my head toward how do you prepare for a fight? And never bad to go to God. And Jesus at the opening of his ministry, met with the devil, met with a Satan out in the desert, and Satan offered him everything. He offered him the world, the wealth, the power, the money, the bread. And Jesus said, be gone, be gone. And so the real rule and the real test for our lives is we got to get ready to fight. And you say, well, there's no Satan now. There's, there's no Satan. Anything that opposes God and Christ is Satan, it's the Antichrist. Right? So when you see evil breaking out in the world, that is the Antichrist, It's Antichrist. And I'm not doing end time stuff here or whatever. I'm just saying anything opposed to the will of God and that can take on a whole list of things. Marxism was created in opposition to God. Socialism comes out of Marxism, liberalism, if it's not grounded in God. I've had to come to recognize some of my idols, you know, Milton Friedman and Hayek, they're not grounded in the faith. Took me a long time to figure that one out. And why their systems will not end up in the right place. Freudianism, modern psychology, capitalism. If it's not grounded in the faith, it just turns into what it is now. Corporatism. It doesn't have any goals in mind. The rich CEOs are not pursuing the good. And so that's just all A setup to say the war room needs to get ready to fight. And for too often we've, we've kind of sanitized Christianity and made Jesus out to be this nice liberal guy who just loves everybody and whatever. Go read the book again. Jesus very rarely says, hey guys, how you feeling today? Let's go out for Starbucks. Right? He's usually point on game, challenging whoever he's with. He's gracious the woman at the well, but he's tough on the apostles day in and day out. Kind of like Banning on the war room. Right. He's, he's on your case. Tighten the message. You better get to it and you better do it right. And we need to put a little of that fortitude. All those films you were just showing had strong men in them. That was only 50 years ago. Today we feminized everything, we've softened everything. We turned love into an emotion and a feeling instead of a practice. And so I would just tell everybody, learn how to steal yourselves. Right. Nietzsche wrote some great stuff, right. On the will to power. He's of course an atheist, but that gets spun out the wrong way sometimes. But the will to power, self overcoming, but do it all within the Christian worldview, self overcoming, become strong, iron yourself, turn yourself to iron for God and learn to fight. Because we got a fight coming across the board. And you better go back to the book and figure out where in that text do we get not only permission but the command to fight the fight for our country, for our God, for our families, for ourselves, for our sanity, because it's on us.

[Steve Bannon]

Yeah, but by the way, in that, in those films, those, those heroes are not Rambo, they're kind of anti Rambos and that's what makes them so, so powerful. Ben Harnwell. Yeah. Your same topic, your thoughts, sir?

[Ben Harnwell]

Well, if I could take this opportunity of the show today to say what I think the broad themes are going to be Then for 2026, as I was saying before, in terms of the movement maga, I think there is going to be a bit of house clearing that's going to take place and that's going to, it's going to be difficult. The press is going to call it a civil war, but it's necessary and the movement will be healthier at the end of it. That's, I think in the political sphere, that's what I think is going to be the most important thing that involves us and the fight. It's the defining of what this movement is and getting out, kicking out of this movement all the people who were never part of it in the first place. There were people who started off 10 years ago as never. Trumpers have hijacked the movement, have pretended to be maga, quoted as being MAGA in the press, and all they basically want to do is put other interests and other nations interests ahead of America's. These people need to be exercised and that's going to make this movement healthier. On the religious front, I would say this inspired by what Dave Black was just saying, actually, but it's not just for 2026. I think this is going to be epochal for the next generation and it does lean a little bit more into end times than, than what Dave was saying explicitly. He, he wasn't intending to do in those early remarks. I think this is the characteristic that we're going to see and it's going to cut across all Christian denominations. I think they're going to. Those denominations are going to fade away to some extent. With regard to this point I'm going to make now, I think as we move forward from here, people who are motivated by the Holy Spirit will recognize other people who are motivated by, by the Holy Spirit. And the opposite is going to be true as well, is that people who are not motivated by the Holy Spirit will not recognize people who are not motivated by the Holy Spirit. Now I formulated that in a strange way, not in an atypical way, but it's very much what I mean to say on the religious front, that is say Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, when they are genuinely motivated by the Holy Spirit, we will recognize that amongst ourselves what is taking place. That the corollary part of that is that I think people who aren't motivated by the Holy Spirit won't necessarily realize that they're not motivated by the Holy Spirit. And that is going to, as the Bible says, as Christ himself indicated in the end times, that is going to be why this, why a lot of people will allow themselves to be deceived in the end times. People who are not motivated by the Holy Spirit will not recognize those who are not motivated by the Holy Spirit. So those are the two things. And as I say in Christian terms, it's not just for 2026, but this is an epochal, generational thing.

[Steve Bannon]

Why is it, why is it that, why is it that in the first witness, written witness, which is the Gospel of Mark, which is really the Eyewitness account of St. Peter as his scribe, Mark put down what in the year 6364 A.D. the centrality of the Holy Spirit in that entire gospel narrative. Why is that not discussed more? Because if you look at the first gospel from the eyewitness of the individual that he had said, when I'm gone, it's upon your shoulders and you've got to take this thing forward. The absolute centrality of the Holy Spirit from the very open all the way through is so powerful as it's embodiment in Christ. Why do you think that's not more you said if you're in the Holy Spirit, you'll notice that why you think it's not the Gospel of Mark's not more emphasized and particularly the Holy Spirit's predominant or dominant role with Christ in the Gospel of Mark?

[Ben Harnwell]

BEN that's an interesting question, Steve.

[Commercial Announcer]

I.

[Ben Harnwell]

Would say because it's very difficult, right? This is why Christianity is in fact, if lived properly, authentically and coherently, it's a very difficult it's an impossible religion because we cut we we measure up to the perfect, an idea of perfection which we're obviously never going to reach in our fallen sinful human condition. And to be motor, you know, this is the difference between true Christianity and say, for example, Islam. Islam is concerned about exterior observance, whereas Christianity is about inner conversion. And inner conversion is a lot more difficult. It's easy, easier to live to an outward conforming template, facade, if you will. To change yourself or to allow yourself to be changed by the Holy Spirit is a lot more difficult because it involves our will, you know, our affections. And that obviously in being sinful we're obviously going to St. Augustine wrote, I think so beautifully and never been surpassed in 1700 years. It is easy for our desires to fixate on things which are not God created things that are not the Creator. And that's the problem, you know, dealing with the Holy Spirit is you're there right in the immediate nexus of interior conversion and that, you know, all the church fathers, all the spiritual traditions of the church really are about that. It's about dampening down your own will and what you want and conforming it to the will of God, which is something you can only do with the Holy Spirit. You know, I would say, Steve, let me hand back to you on this point. I would say the ideal prayer really for Christians isn't so much to pray for what God wants, but to pray to be able to want what God wants. Because that's where the spiritual battle fundamentally takes place with regards to will and all the ways that that can be abused and corrupted not only by ourselves and our sinful nature, but also by the devil, which I think is also part of St. Mark's gospel.

[Steve Bannon]

St. Mark's gospel really starts there. It's one of the powers of it. Right after Christ is baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. It's right to the desert and to that struggle, as you just so beautifully talked about, with Satan. Short commercial break we're going to return in the war room in just a moment.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Dave Bratt]

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[Josh Whalen]

If you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication, listen up at Joy and Blokes when you start TRT or Enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription dollar a month $1 add ons with your hormone plan and right now all labs are 50% off. I'm Josh Whalen, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or Enclomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get [e-mail] and use a promo code podcast new customers get 50 off their labs and for a limited time, you can take advantage of our $1 ed or hair loss add ons when you start TRT or Enclomiphene. Not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn [e-mail].

[Steve Bannon]

Okay, welcome back as we wrap up Today's show, the first show of 2026. I want to thank our sponsor. Throughout the day we did this commercial free or sponsor free, I should say. Birchgold gold and silver and precious metals had a blowout year in 2025. You know that. What's ahead in 2026? Talk to the folks at Birch Gold. It's not the price, it's the process that drives the value of gold and silver and other precious metals. Birchgold.com, promo code Bannon end of the dollar and pro. You can get all the information for free. But most importantly, talk to Philip Patrick and the team. That's what you need to do. A shorter version, probably maybe a little more handier. Just take your phone and text Bannon B A N N O N at 989-898. Get the ultimate guide, which happens to be free. No obligation 0 for investing in gold and precious metals in the age of Trump. Do it today, but talk to Philip Patrick. Make that New Year's resolution or talk to Philip Patrick and the team over at Birchgold. Find out more about all of this, but the process that drives the value of gold because I think we're going to have a little turbulence in the capital markets. Guys, I'll start with you. Dave, Brad, a couple minutes wrap up. It's been a fantastic show. I really want to thank you guys for doing this, our New Year's Day special. Brad, some closing thoughts for people that are going to spend the rest of the day thinking about the job we have before us. Sir.

[Dave Bratt]

Yep.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yep.

[Dave Bratt]

Happy New Year, everybody. Enjoy the football. And then tomorrow it's boots on the ground. You all know I was in the Freedom Caucus and the refrain back then was, hey, you need to be on the team. And I said, I'm only on one team. I'm on God's team. So congratulations on this show, Harnwell. That ecumenical spirit. Catholics, Protestants, everybody can get together and unite. There's only one place to unite. I hear people saying, unite under Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk wouldn't have said that. He would say unite under God and under Jesus. And if we all unite that way, that is true conservatism. That's what gave us this great country and that's what should lead our fight going forward because that's what's worth fighting for. So thank you, Steve, for the wonderful show. Harnwell. Thank you for your joyful ecumenical spirit. God bless you all.

[Steve Bannon]

Dave, Brad, God bless you. Happy New Year. Ben Harnwell from the Eternal City from Rome, thank you for joining us. What do you got for us, sir?

[Ben Harnwell]

Okay, first of January. So we have the whole year ahead of us. It's great opportunity to renew ourselves in the Holy Spirit for the battle of the year ahead. And I actually think 2026 is going to be a great year. I'm not a natural born optimist, but there are a number of things that may be quite excited about the way this year is going to go. My theme of the show today, and I think, you know, it's a great point to close with this, is this what we can do in terms of contributing to the wider renewal inspired by the martyrdom of Charlie Kirk, but under God, under Jesus Christ, as Dave Bratt correctly reminds us, our focus should always be my message is this, let's just try to be the best witness to Jesus Christ that we can possibly be in the sphere that Christ has put us in with the grace of Christ. And that, I think is the best that we can do. I don't think God would expect us to do more than that. We do that, we will be the yeast that makes the bread rise. With that, Steve, Dave Bratt, the control room in RAV and you at home, the war room, possibly. I wish you all a very happy 2026. Thanks, Steve. Thanks, Dave. God bless.

[Steve Bannon]

Thank you, Ben. Thank you, Dave Brat. Thank this audience. Yes. Also our team in Denver that helps us every day of the week and particularly the specials. Guys. Got to go all the way. Men and women go all the way because, you know, it's the holiday season. Want to thank the entire Whirlwind production team. Everybody works with us and Grace and Movie, all the folks associated with Happy New Year. It's going to be an intense one. I agree with Ben and Dave. It's a lot of upside in front of us. Going to be a great year and you are going to drive it. Happy New Year. Leave it with Sissel. Just an amazing voice. I don't think we can get a better rendition of Auld Lang design. And of course, we'll be back here tomorrow morning at 10:00am Eastern Standard Time. You'll be back in the world. Until then, Happy New Year. See you tomorrow.

[Ben Harnwell]

Sam.

[Dave Bratt]

Sa. Sam. Jesus.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Dave Bratt]

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[Josh Whalen]

If you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication, listen up at Joy and Blokes when you start TRT or Enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription for just $1 a month. $1 add ons with your hormone plan and right now all labs are 50% off. I'm Josh Whalen, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or in Clomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get [e-mail] and use a promo code. Podcast new customers get percent off their labs and for a limited time you can take advantage of our $1 ed or hair loss add ons when you start TRT or Enclomophine. Not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn [e-mail] this is an iHeart podcast.

[Dave Bratt]

Guaranteed human.