THE WAR ROOM WITH STEPHEN K. BANNON, EP. #5089 – January 23, 2026

Podcast: Real America’s Voice (iHeartPodcasts)
Host: Stephen K. Bannon
Featured Guests: Julie Kelly, Jack Posobiec, Christina Hawkins, Ben Berkwam, Harry Dunn, Michael Fanon

Overview

This episode of The War Room fiercely examines the political and cultural fallout from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s recent testimony, the ongoing debates about the January 6th Capitol riot and its aftermath, election integrity going into 2026, and the mass mobilization of pro-life advocates at the annual March for Life. Host Steve Bannon, joined by frequent guest Julie Kelly and others, dissects mainstream media coverage, government narratives, and what he sees as institutional failures and ongoing threats to “real America.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jack Smith’s Testimony: Narrative Battle and Alleged Failures

• Bannon and Kelly Critique Coverage:

  • Bannon and Kelly mock mainstream media’s handling of Jack Smith’s testimony, suggesting coverage was subdued because of Smith’s alleged “disastrous” performance.
  • Bannon (07:15): "This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies. Because we're going medieval on these people."
  • Kelly (12:16): Compares the treatment of Jack Smith's testimony to coverage of “celebrity cops” from January 6th, criticizing the invocation of trauma to distract from political scrutiny.

• Oath of Office Controversy:

  • Kelly raises the provocative claim that Jack Smith may not have taken his oath of office before signing key indictments against Trump, asserting this is a “historical” oversight with serious implications.
  • Kelly (13:28): "It does not appear that he took the oath of office prior to signing three federal criminal indictments against the President...what are the implications of the fact that it does not appear that he took the oath of office until September 2023?"

• Allegations of Judicial and Investigative Roadblocks:

  • The conversation turns to complain that Trump-aligned defendants (the “J6ers”) were denied the ability to adequately defend themselves in court.
  • Kelly (25:00): "No, because the judges prevented, prohibited that sort of testimony from coming up..."

2. The January 6th Riots, Police Actions, and Institutional Accountability

• Law Enforcement Preparedness and Blame:

  • Harry Dunn’s comment is highlighted as a “bombshell”:
    • Dunn (15:03): "The one thing we were unprepared that day...If there is an opportunity to correct security failures, which there clearly were, let's address it full stop. However, blaming anybody except Donald Trump..."

• Blaming Democrats and Narratives of Entrapment:

  • Bannon insists Democrats and Nancy Pelosi intentionally left the Capitol unprotected, suggesting an entrapment scenario.
  • Bannon (15:27): "They wanted to lay a trap to any patriots that happened to be marching around Capitol Hill..."

• Police Violence as a 'Cover Up':

  • Kelly vehemently argues that much of the violence was initiated by police, claims evidence was hidden by court orders, and accuses the shutdown of Parler and conservative social media as being motivated by a desire to suppress footage of police violence.
  • Kelly (28:08): "Parler was filled with clips of what police did to protesters outside that day, how they initiated those confrontations. That's why Parler was shut down..."

3. Election Integrity and the 2026 Election

• Concerns about Election Interference:

  • The episode is woven throughout with claims of ongoing efforts by the “regime” to rig elections, both through legal/judicial means and through demographic shifts fueled by immigration policy.
  • Bannon (07:15): "We're not going to allow the 2026 election to be stolen by what we see in Minnesota and what we see in Los Angeles..."
  • Fanon, paraphrased by Bannon (06:15): "Maybe every accusation is in fact admission. But he is trying to affect what is going on in the election this November..."

• Mass Deportation Rhetoric:

  • Bannon calls for the mass deportation of all undocumented immigrants and rails against corporate and political interests he blames for enabling an “invasion.”
  • Bannon (11:14): "We need mass deportations. Every single one of them must leave. How about that? All of them. Not some of them..."

4. Pro-Life Mobilization: March for Life and Post-Roe Strategies

• Live from the March for Life:

  • Jack Posobiec reports live, joined by Christina Hawkins (Students for Life).
  • Hawkins details post-Roe pro-life advocacy priorities: cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood, banning chemical abortion pills, enforcing the Comstock Act, and supporting pregnant students.
  • Hawkins (49:53): "We have to stop funding our political enemies of Planned Parenthood...two, we have to stop chemical abortion pills...three, we need to show her and families that we care more and more."

• Charlie Kirk: Martyrdom and Movement Iconography:

  • The death of Charlie Kirk is referenced as a rallying point and symbol for Gen Z pro-life advocates.
  • Hawkins (48:37): "He's a martyr, right? Charlie is a martyr for our faith, for our beliefs, our worldview. And this generation, particularly Gen Z, looked so much up to Charlie..."

5. Clash at Baltimore 'Peace Committee' and Heightening Political Tensions

• Journalists Expelled for Covering Event:

  • Ben Berkwam recounts being ejected by police while attempting to cover a public meeting in Baltimore related to the city’s “peace committee” and ICE cooperation.
  • Berkwam (44:48): "We walked in there calmly, coolly. We just said, we're with the media. We're here to document the event...the meeting ended up being canceled..."

• No Room for Dialogue:

  • Both Bannon and Berkwam cast the left/internal opponents as being intolerant and bent on conflict rather than debate.
  • Berkwam (44:44): "Everything on the left is a projection. Everything on the left is manufactured...the second guy to speak said, prepare for war."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen K. Bannon

  • "This is the primal scream of a dying regime. Pray for our enemies. Because we're going medieval on these people." (07:15)
  • "Mass deportations. Every single one of them must leave. How about that? All of them. Not some of them..." (11:14)
  • "Parler was not shut down because there were a bunch of domestic terrorists...the reason why—because Parler was filled with clips of what police did to protesters outside that day..." (28:08)

• Julie Kelly

  • "Jack Smith was an epic fail for them yesterday...He left open left on the table I think significant areas of further investigation for Republicans and the DOJ to pursue..." (12:16)
  • "All four of them [J6 celebrity cops] have lied under oath about what they saw, what they heard, the extent of their injuries." (21:14)

• Harry Dunn

  • "The one thing we were unprepared that day...If there is an opportunity to correct security failures, which there clearly were, let's address it full stop..." (15:06)

• Christina Hawkins (Students for Life)

  • "We have to stop funding our political enemies of Planned Parenthood, number one. Two, we have to stop chemical abortion pills...Three, we need to show her and families that we care more and more..." (49:53)

• Ben Berkwam

  • "We were just there to document it and try to find some common ground. Not much was found last night, unfortunately." (45:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jack Smith Testimony Reaction & Oath Allegation: [12:16 – 15:03]
• Harry Dunn Security Admissions: [15:03 – 15:27, 18:52 – 19:18]
• Discussion on Police Actions During J6 & Information Control: [21:14 – 28:08]
• Calls for Mass Deportations & Immigration Policy Diatribe: [11:14 – 14:30, 36:21 – 41:59]
• Baltimore 'Peace Committee' Incident w/ Berkwam: [43:25 – 45:44]
• March for Life, Pro-Life Strategy w/ Posobiec & Hawkins: [47:06 – 52:32]

Takeaways

• Bannon and guests present a deeply adversarial stance on mainstream narratives about January 6th, election integrity, and immigration, often suggesting intentional cover-ups and conspiracies orchestrated by political opponents.
• Julie Kelly frames the narrative as one of victimization of pro-Trump activists and lawbreaking by authorities and political figures, calling for further investigation and "accountability" for Special Counsel Jack Smith.
• Emerging generational activism is showcased at the March for Life, with reference to Charlie Kirk's martyrdom as a spiritual motivator for the movement.
• The episode’s tone is combative, urgent, and unflinchingly partisan, aimed at energizing activists for upcoming electoral and cultural battles.

For further detail, listeners are encouraged to reference Julie Kelly’s Substack "Declassified with Julie Kelly" or follow ongoing coverage on Real America’s Voice media platforms.