Podcast Summary: The Dan Bongino Show — “Nightmare Video Surfaces” (Ep. 2450) Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Dan Bongino

Overview

In this packed episode, Dan Bongino offers his signature “no-nonsense analysis” on a series of breaking political, legal, and social developments dominating the U.S. news cycle. He covers the release of explosive affidavits in the Fulton County, Georgia election case, alarming news about cartel drone incursions in El Paso, a high-profile missing persons investigation, surging economic numbers, plummeting crime rates, liberal media spin, and dysfunction in America's “blue cities.”

Bongino casts a critical light on the shifting media narratives, especially their evolving language regarding the 2020 election. He places these stories within the context of public faith in American institutions, the importance of constitutional accountability, and current events shaping the political landscape, including the Trump administration’s policies.

The episode’s tone is passionate, confrontational, and unapologetic, blending sharp analysis with gallows humor and memorable soundbites.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fulton County, Georgia Election Affidavit Release

• Affidavits Go Public: Bongino opens with coverage of the just-unsealed Fulton County affidavits revealing FBI-substantiated irregularities in vote counting for the 2020 election.
• Media Language Shift: He highlights the media’s pivot from calling people “election deniers” to “election skeptics,” suggesting this is a sign that mainstream outlets are acknowledging that concerns weren't baseless ([06:48], [07:08]).
• John Solomon’s Reporting: Bongino features segments from investigative journalist John Solomon, who details five major areas of election irregularity, including mismatched ballot counts, lost ballot scan images, and improper verification processes ([12:47]).

  “Some of the allegations that were raised about the Georgia election have been disproven while some…have been substantiated, including through direct admissions by Fulton County.”
  — John Solomon, [08:52]

• Bongino’s Stance:
  • Emphasizes Americans’ right to question the voting process without being labeled “deniers.”
  • Calls out media hypocrisy in portraying skepticism as hysteria:

  “We have the right to question it, A-holes. And it turns out…if you believe in the judicial system, there's probable cause to believe that we're not crazy.”
  — Dan Bongino, [17:52]

• Impact on Public Trust: Strong assertions about the necessity of genuine faith in institutions:

  “The Constitution is just a piece of paper…if we don’t believe in it and we don’t believe in the institutions…then it doesn’t do sh*t.”
  — Dan Bongino, [16:17]

2. El Paso Cartel Drone Incident

• Border Security Crisis: Bongino reports on a short-lived closure of El Paso International Airport airspace following Mexican cartel drones breaching U.S. airspace. The “decisive” action taken by officials included drone interdiction, highlighting emerging threats and the need for robust border security ([04:36], [05:54]).
• Asymmetric Threats:

  “Drones are a huge freaking problem. They are really cheap. It is asymmetric economic warfare…”
  — Guy, [05:05]

3. Surveillance, Privacy, and the Guthrie Case

• Missing Persons Nightmare: Discusses a high-profile missing persons case (Nancy Guthrie) where surveillance video played a role. Bongino reflects on the ubiquity of technical surveillance and its privacy trade-offs, drawing from his law enforcement experience ([24:23]-[29:46]).

  “You don’t have privacy anymore. I wish you did… Once information is created, digital information, it’s almost impossible to completely destroy, folks.”
  — Dan Bongino, [25:03]

4. Collapsing Faith in Government & Institutions

• Distrust and Accountability:

  “The answer is no. Don’t trust anybody. This is a government of fallible people who make mistakes. Accountability matters.”
  — Dan Bongino, [20:19]

• No Heroes: Bongino insists there are no government “heroes,” only truth-seekers, underscoring the necessity for ongoing skepticism.

5. Congressional “Chaos” & Media Spin

• Committee Dysfunction: Critiques Democrats and media figures for using manipulated images and false narratives in congressional hearings—specifically, AI-generated photos of violent incidents and misleading stats about ICE deportations ([34:46]-[39:44]).

  “Are you ever going to tell the truth? Hell no. That’s not their thing.”
  — Dan Bongino, [39:38]

• Crime Statistics Distorted: Rebuts the media’s claim that only 14% of those deported are serious criminals, noting the real figure (including charges like DUI and child pornography) approaches 70%.

6. Crisis in Liberal 'Blue Cities': Drugs, Homelessness, and Hypocrisy

• On-the-Ground Journalism: Features Nick Shirley’s video showing the reality of open drug use and distribution in California, including the normalization of overdose deaths ([43:02]-[47:18]).

  “If you are so good at detecting partially dead people from drug overdoses because you’re doing it every day, you f*cked up.”
  — Dan Bongino, [46:35]

• “Is he purple yet?”: Mocks the desensitization to urban decay and the failure of “compassionate” policies.

7. Economic Surge: Jobs, Crime, and Media Denial

• Robust Job Numbers: Celebrates unexpectedly high private sector job growth and a historic drop in government employment since 1966, crediting deregulation and Trump administration policies ([60:26]-[62:19]).

  “The private sector numbers were even bigger. But on net...the number was still 130,000, nearly double what they expected. That’s why the stock market jumped again this morning.”
  — Dan Bongino, [62:19]

• Crime Rate Collapse: Violent crime—including homicide—has dropped nationwide, especially in major cities and “Sunbelt” states, following aggressive law enforcement operations ([78:11]).

  “Violent crime plummets across major U.S. cities…What’s the difference between 2025 and 2024? There’s a new president.”
  — [78:11]-[78:43]

• Media’s Willful Ignorance: Skewers outlets like Axios for offering convoluted explanations rather than attributing success to Trump-era policies ([79:07]-[81:46]).

  “Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall.”
  — Dan Bongino, [79:34]

8. Media Integrity, Martyrdom, and Narrative Control

• Joy Reid as “Martyr”: Bongino and team ridicule left-leaning media figures for their claim to journalistic virtue and martyrdom, especially amidst their history of spreading debunked narratives ([71:16]).

  “They live in a delusional belief system…They’re lying, but for a bigger cause.”
  — Dan Bongino, [70:21]

• Manipulation of Facts: Continues to highlight the media's deliberate choice to tell "a story, not the story," as emphasized by Trump press secretary Caroline Levitt, who recited the administration’s wins the media refused to cover ([68:04]).

9. The Social Cost of Technology and Social Media

• Dangers for Children: Features a segment with Jeremy Boring on social media’s impact on youth, emphasizing the psychological dangers and the “fake it ‘til you make it” culture of curated unreality ([84:16]-[90:16]).

  “These kids are seeing it and they’re led to believe that this is in fact, reality. It is not.”
  — Dan Bongino, [90:16]

10. Voter ID, Election Integrity, and Political Hypocrisy

• Voter ID Hypocrisy: Ends with a story about Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who requires ID for his events while arguing against voter ID—emblematic, in Bongino’s view, of ongoing Democratic double standards ([91:47]-[92:52]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [08:03]: “The Bongino rule—give stories some time. Don’t be first, be right.” — Dan Bongino
• [17:52]: “We have the right to question it, A-holes.” — Dan Bongino
• [25:03]: “Once information is created, digital information, it’s almost impossible to completely destroy.” — Dan Bongino
• [20:19]: “Don’t trust anybody. This is a government of fallible people who make mistakes. Accountability matters.” — Dan Bongino
• [46:35]: “If you are so good at detecting partially dead people from drug overdoses because you’re doing it every day, you fucked up.” — Dan Bongino
• [62:19]: “[Private sector jobs] 100,000 above the estimate. We were looking for 70,000.” — Cheryl Cassoni (Fox News)
• [79:34]: “Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall.” — Dan Bongino, quoting Axios in disbelief
• [90:16]: “A lot of this stuff is bullshit. And your kids are seeing it and they’re led to believe that this is in fact, reality.” — Dan Bongino

Important Timestamps

• [00:02]–[01:32]: Opening—News day, opinion show disclaimer, media language critique
• [07:08]–[12:47]: Shift from “election denier” to “election skeptic”; John Solomon’s affidavit breakdown
• [24:23]–[29:46]: Guthrie case—surveillance, privacy, law enforcement process
• [34:46]–[36:44]: Congressional hearing dysfunction, AI photo debacle
• [43:02]–[47:18]: Nick Shirley exposé—urban drug crisis, overdose normalization
• [60:26]–[62:19]: Cheryl Cassoni on jobs numbers, economic surge
• [68:04]–[69:25]: Trump press secretary Caroline Levitt on media’s refusal to cover administration wins
• [71:16]–[72:50]: Joy Reid on MSNBC, media “martyrdom” mocked
• [78:11]–[81:46]: Crime statistics, media confusion, law enforcement strategy
• [84:16]–[90:16]: Impact of social media on kids—Jeremy Boring interview and Bongino’s analysis
• [91:47]–[92:52]: Jon Ossoff, voter ID, and Democratic hypocrisy

Conclusion & Takeaways

Bongino interlaces news breakdowns with philosophical reflections on trust, government, liberty, and the vital importance of skepticism and personal accountability. He ties together disparate threads—law enforcement, media narratives, institutional trust, urban decay, and economic revival—under the banner of “facts, not spin.” The episode is both a call to vigilance and a challenge to mainstream media, with a relentless insistence on evidence, transparency, and hard questions—a tone that resonates throughout Bongino’s commentary.

For Listeners:
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