The Dan Bongino Show

Episode 2485: “The Biggest Fraud in D.C.”

Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Dan Bongino
Main Theme
A fiercely opinionated deep dive into recent news cycles, political frauds in Washington, and the current state of U.S. policies—especially as they pertain to media spin, government accountability, warfare strategy, immigration, and the future of conservative political movements. Featuring an in-depth interview with Kentucky congressional candidate Ed Gelrain, the episode levels blistering criticism at what Bongino sees as establishment hypocrisy and left-wing overreach, with recurring themes of authenticity, due process, and the need for public reckoning with failed government policies.

Episode Overview

Dan Bongino delivers a high-energy and combative episode focused on:

• The difference between authentic and fraudulent political actors, with severe criticism aimed at both the media and specific politicians (notably Rep. Tom Massie).
• The “asymmetric information warfare” between Donald Trump and the press, highlighting where the media is “out over its skis.”
• Critical news items: the Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, conversion therapy, and ongoing military action in Iran.
• The importance of creating a political contrast—pushing for the abolition of the Senate filibuster.
• The left’s desperation and hypocrisy, illustrated through clips and commentary.
• An extended interview with Ed Gelrain, a retired SEAL, running against Tom Massie in Kentucky.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Authenticity vs. Fraud: Audience, Bots, and Media Spin

Timestamp: 00:02–05:39

• Bongino opens by mocking critics who claim his show’s audience numbers are inflated or fake, referencing recent podcast rankings to establish credibility.
• Experiment with X (formerly Twitter): Bongino suggests listeners post both positive and negative messages about Tom Massie to expose the alleged “bot army” behind politicians he considers fraudulent.
• Media skepticism: He rails against those who claim real data is fake, emphasizing authenticity.

  “How does that make you feel, you zeros? There’s nothing you can do. Just have to realize you’re losers. ...We have a real army of supporters because this show is the real deal and you’ve got a bunch of clown bots.” (Dan Bongino, 03:10)

2. Trump’s Mastery Over the Press

Timestamp: 05:39–08:23

• Clip featuring Trump “owning” reporters on U.S.-Iran tensions. Trump exposes the media’s lack of knowledge, turning the tables during a press conference.
  • “The Iranian government threatened a bunch of US companies today in the region, including Google, Apple.” (Ed Gelrain, 05:39)
  • “What did they threaten them with, PB guns? ...You don’t even know what the threat was.” (Dan Bongino, 05:47–06:10)
• Commentary: Bongino frames this as evidence of the “asymmetric information warfare” in which Trump controls the facts, while the media scrambles.

3. The Daily Mail Controversy & Due Process

Timestamp: 08:23–13:18

• Misreporting in Criminal Cases:
  Bongino singles out the Daily Mail’s coverage of a criminal case (“Charlie Gurney”)—accusing it of fabricating controversy through misleading headlines about ballistic evidence.
  • “The Daily Mail is full of shit. The Daily Mail either can’t read or is now trying to backtrack on the ridiculous headline yesterday.” (Dan Bongino, 09:50)
• Due Process:
  Emphasizes the principle of presumption of innocence for the accused (Tyler Robinson), and the right to a fair trial—while also noting the right of the state to a fair prosecution without jury tampering.

4. Betrayal by Tom Massie

Timestamp: 13:18–16:58

• Personal Disappointment:
  Bongino accuses Massie of being a fraud, citing his unwillingness to engage directly on high-profile legal briefs or investigations that Massie publicly comments on.
  • “I have never been as disappointed in a human being in politics as I am in Tom Massie. ...He did not want to know. He preferred to be dumb...” (Dan Bongino, 15:10)
• Rage Bait & Bot Armies:
  Claims Massie uses social media “rage bait” tactics rather than constructive legislative work.

5. War in Iran: “Forever War” and Hypocrisy

Timestamp: 16:58–21:36

• War Strategy and Media Criticism:
  • Discusses Trump’s approach to the conflict with Iran, noting criticisms from both sides for either being “too engaged” or for withdrawing.
  • Argues that critics can’t keep their position straight, making contradictions obvious.
• NATO and International Stakes:
  The Gulf’s strategic significance to Europe, China—more than the U.S. itself.
• “Am I wrong, Justin? I know I’m not wrong. ...If you’re one of the doomers in here, already declared the war over a month in, you have no idea what the strategic long term ramifications of this could be.” (Dan Bongino, 16:55)

6. Ridiculing the Left & Media Opponents

Timestamp: 21:36–26:13

• Clips and Satire:
  • Mocks “the gays of Hormuz” viral video (18:02), showing what he calls the intellectual bankruptcy of left-wing activists.
  • Dismisses “rage-bait” segments from The View and its concerns over a planned White House ballroom and underground bunker, tying it back to Trump-derangement.
    • “Why do we need a bunker underneath the White House? Gee, I don’t know. He’s only the most threatened man on earth. What are you, an imbecile?” (Bongino, 22:07)

7. The Anton Rule: Personal Cost and Political Change

Timestamp: 26:13–33:02

• Political Change Only When it Hurts:
  • People (even the media) call out government incompetence—like airport TSA lines—only when inconvenienced themselves.
    • “People will not change their political behavior...until something personally impacts them. ...This is why Democrat policies are so destructive.” (Dan Bongino, 27:53)
  • Cites examples from NYC (rise of Giuliani) and MD (rain tax debacle).
• Democratic Accountability:
  • Hard questions hit only when policies backfire on the voters themselves.

8. The Senate Filibuster, Save America Act, and GOP Strategy

Timestamp: 33:02–43:39

• Filibuster Critique:
  • Argues for either enforcing a “talking filibuster” or abolishing it, to force real policy contrasts.
    • “We can’t have this hybrid. We can’t try to walk a middle ground...” (Mike Lee, 37:53)
  • Time to let voters see the real difference between Democrat and Republican governance.
• Majority-Rule Argument:
  • Predicts Dems will eventually dump the filibuster for their agenda; GOP should do it first for voter integrity reforms.

9. Bernie Sanders, Wealth Taxes, and Economic Ignorance

Timestamp: 43:39–47:40

• Wealth Tax Fallacies:
  • Dissects a Bernie Sanders tweet about taxing billionaires for “reparations”-style payments.
    • “If you do it in the states, leave the states. ...Just going to liquidate the stock market for a $12,000 check ... and I’m going to lose like 30,000 out of my retirement.” (Dan Bongino, 43:40)

10. Supreme Court Rulings: Conversion Therapy and Birthright Citizenship

Timestamp: 47:40–62:00

• Conversion Therapy Victory:
  • Praises 8-1 Supreme Court decision (with only Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting), framing it as a free speech win.
    • “She doesn’t know what a woman is. There’s nothing to convert to.” (Bongino on Jackson, 47:56)
• Youth Returning to Faith:
  • Points to rising religiosity among young people as evidence of culture shift and fatigue with government and social media.
• Birthright Citizenship:
  • Explains the legal crux: does “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” (14th Amendment) mean territorial or political jurisdiction?
    • Sides with Trump’s argument that illegally present people should not confer citizenship to children born here.
    • “It is not only an issue for a magnet ... It is also a national security issue.” (Dan Bongino, 61:24)

11. Ballot Security: Trump’s New Executive Order

Timestamp: 62:00–65:00

• Trump EO for Secure Mail-In Ballots:
  • Highlights Trump’s action to require secure, trackable envelopes for mail-in ballots.
    • “States ... are going to get a code, a barcode from the U.S. Postal Service... There’ll be a million mail-in ballots, there’ll be a million envelopes.” (Howard Lutnick, 62:35)
• Democrat Lawsuits:
  • Predicts immediate legal challenges from Democrats to prevent accountability in mail-in voting.

12. Holding NPR Accountable: Brandon Gill Grills NPR CEO

Timestamp: 61:55–63:24

• Grilling on Past Tweets:
  • Representative confronts NPR’s CEO over her past social media comments on “white supremacy” and reparations.
    • “Do you think that white people should pay reparations? ...Seems to be what you’re suggesting.” (Brandon Gill, 62:40–63:21)

Interview with Ed Gelrain: “Who Dares Wins”

Timestamp: 66:34–80:52

Profile:

• Former SEAL Team 6 officer, multi-decade service, faith and family-driven, endorsed by Trump.

Key Topics:

• Why Run?
  • Personal request/challenge from Trump; a renewal of his national service.
    • “The President asked me to meet with him ... he basically made a challenge to me to serve my nation again.” (Ed Gelrain, 67:15)
• Constitutional Carry & Second Amendment:
  • “I am a thousand percent behind it… It is non-negotiable.” (Gelrain, 69:19)
• Birthright Citizenship:
  • “It is clear that the intent was for those subject to the jurisdiction. ...This is as plain as the nose on your face. Absolutely not.” (Gelrain, 70:57)
• NATO Reform:
  • “They have been free riders ...it should certainly be reevaluated.” (Gelrain, 74:30)
• Definition of Success in Iran:
  • “Peace and prosperity being brought back to the Mid East ...elimination of an aggressive regime that’s hostile to the world there in Iran.” (Gelrain, 77:27)

Memorable moment:

“The Ayatollah was a suicide bomber looking for a nuke.” (Ed Gelrain, 80:09, per Bongino's enthusiastic reaction)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I love freedom of the press. ...But what the press people don’t acknowledge, which is stunning, is they are not aware of what they speak.” (Dan Bongino, 07:38)
• “Let the American people see the contrast between big government liberal Bernie Sanders bullshit and small, limited government Tea Party constitutional conservative. And I promise you they’ll make the right choice.” (Dan Bongino, 61:24)
• “Communists will not stop being communists until communism kicks them square in the balls.” (Dan Bongino, 23:00)
• “Political arguments to be made for the war in Iran are valid on both sides ...But the criticisms should be valid.” (Dan Bongino, 18:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fake audiences & “bot armies,” Tom Massie criticism: 00:02–05:39
• Trump-press conference exchange: 05:39–08:23
• Daily Mail/media due process debate: 08:23–13:18
• Calling out Tom Massie’s “fraudulence”: 13:18–16:58
• Iran war, “forever war” criticism: 16:58–21:36
• Ridiculing media hysteria, The View clip: 21:36–26:13
• Anton Rule & political pain: 26:13–33:02
• Filibuster, Save America Act, Mike Lee: 33:02–43:39
• Economic illiteracy and Bernie Sanders: 43:39–47:40
• Conversion therapy Supreme Court case: 47:40–49:56
• Faith & culture shift among youth: 49:56–52:20
• Birthright citizenship legal breakdown: 60:00–62:00
• Trump’s ballot EO: 62:00–65:00
• Brandon Gill vs. NPR CEO: 61:55–63:24
• Ed Gelrain interview: 66:34–80:52

Overall Tone & Takeaway

Bongino’s tone is pointed, direct, and often mocking toward political and media adversaries. The episode is rich in political analysis, news breakdown, and strategic conservative positioning. Bongino seeks to bolster audience morale, call out frauds (in both media and the GOP), and urge listeners to pursue authentic grassroots engagement. The interview with Ed Gelrain epitomizes the vision of service and strength that Bongino wants the conservative movement to embody.

For New Listeners

If you haven’t caught this episode, expect an energetic rundown of the day’s key political battles, a detailed call-out of fraudulence (from podcasters to Congress), blistering political satire, and an interview with a candidate who embodies the show’s core themes of service, toughness, and authenticity.