The Dan Bongino Show – "We Want Our Money Back" (Ep. 2489)

Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Dan Bongino (with Justin, and guest Scott Jennings)
Duration: ~90 minutes (excluding ads/outros)
Main Theme:
A wide-ranging commentary on U.S. foreign policy (with a focus on Iran), the frustrations with NATO allies, American cultural and political divisions, the media's shifting narratives, and how technology—especially AI—is reshaping fact-checking and political discourse. Features a highlight interview with CNN's Scott Jennings.

Episode Overview

Dan Bongino delivers his trademark, no-nonsense take on current political and cultural issues. This episode centers on American military actions in Iran, frustrations with NATO’s tepid support, the American contribution to global security, and the shifting ground of domestic politics. Bongino argues that modern technology—instant fact-checking and AI—is making it increasingly difficult for the left to maintain inconsistent narratives. Special attention is given to the idea that Americans should "get a refund" from international alliances that don’t reciprocate.

A key portion of the show features a lengthy, insightful interview with CNN commentator Scott Jennings, who discusses debating progressives, the value of live unscripted debate, and the role of authenticity in politics and media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump's "Maximalist" Negotiating and Iran (03:18–07:38)

• Trump’s Truth Social Statement: Bongino covers Donald Trump’s latest bombshell, warning of a potential historic military strike on Iran.
  • Trump is quoted ominously: "A whole civilization will die tonight never to be brought back again..."
  • Bongino frames this as Trump’s classic "maximalist" negotiation style—startle the other party to extract a better deal.
  • Bongino: "He takes a maximalist position…Meanwhile in Donald Trump’s head is a ten percent tariff but he knows the country doesn’t want one hundred percent tariff…In the end, he gets what he wants." ([04:08])
• Critics React: Ted Lieu and others already presuming war crimes before action even occurs, which Dan calls "absurd pearl-clutching."
  • Dan Bongino: "Do we really have to get into this? It is not a war crime to bomb infrastructure when it's used by the military to attack us and our allies..." ([07:23])

2. Media & Political Double Standards on War and Leaks (09:06–16:53)

• War Reality: Bongino recounts death-chanting Iranian officials, their nuclear and missile ambitions, and the U.S.’s military gains.
• Leaking Is a Crime: Strongly criticizes those leaking national security secrets, referencing Trump’s press comments about a media leak that jeopardized a pilot rescue mission.
  • Donald Trump (clip): "We’re going to go to the media company that released it and say national security, give it up or go to jail..." ([14:13])
  • Bongino: "We got to make an example out of someone…Leaking classified national security secrets is not whistleblowing. It’s a crime." ([13:21])

3. NATO, Europe, and "Getting Our Money Back" (16:56–35:00)

• Frustrations with NATO: Bongino argues that the U.S. does most of the military, law enforcement, and intelligence legwork for European allies—without adequate reciprocation.

  • "I’m dead serious...It’s time to get a refund from NATO...If they’re not going to help us right now in this existential war...let us know, and we can slowly part ways..." ([16:56])
  • Cites a viral tweet (by John Conrad) and Wall Street Journal coverage on Europe’s complacency and superiority complexes, enabled by U.S. security guarantees.
  • John Conrad (quoted): "Our crudeness, our stunted liberal education, our ugly strip malls are because we sacrificed our culture to support yours..."

• Trump and Rubio on NATO:

  • Donald Trump (clip): "I’m very disappointed in NATO...they said loud and clear, 'We’d rather wait till you win.'...I don't need help after we win!" ([27:30])
  • Marco Rubio (clip): "If NATO is just about us defending Europe, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a good arrangement..." ([31:04])

• Economic Costs: Peter St. Onge segment noting the U.S. has spent an equivalent of $10 trillion (2026 dollars) supporting European defense since NATO’s founding.

  • Peter St. Onge (clip): "...Rand estimates it’s closer to $300 billion [annually]..." ([33:47])

4. Failures of Progressive Policy & the AI Accountability Era (39:56–48:45)

• Low Democrat Favorability: Covers CNN polling showing the GOP ahead on net favorability for the first time in years.
  • Dan Bongino: "Party ahead at this point [on] net favorability...Republicans are actually ahead by five points..." ([39:56])
• Natural Experiments: Uses the migration from high-tax, Democrat-run states (CA, NY) to low-tax states (FL, TX) as evidence of failed progressive policy.
  • Quotes a New York lawmaker on raising taxes to stem a population exodus: "Please stop leaving, come back, and we will kick you right in the nuts with some new and even higher taxes. Welcome back." ([43:30])
• Fact-Checking in the AI Era:
  • Joy Reid’s claim that there were "no income taxes before the twentieth century" is instantly debunked via AI and Google’s own response ([46:37]).
  • Dan Bongino: "It is going to get really expensive to be a liberal Democrat moving forward...instant fact checking, people go into Twitter...and say, 'Is this in fact true?'" ([41:57])

5. Cultural Identity and American Values (35:04–37:27)

• Personal reflection on the warmth and values of the American South versus perceived European superiority.
  • Bongino: "You want to talk about culture, European NATO partners? That’s culture, try it sometime..."
  • Emphasizes heartland values as the true backbone of American prosperity and unity.

6. Media & Left-Wing Contradictions (50:36–57:24)

• Men in Women’s Sports: Megan Rapinoe and the ongoing debate.
  • Bongino references well-publicized events like the U.S. women's national team losing to an under-15 boys' club.
  • Megan Rapinoe (clip): Claims that gender categories in sport aren’t that "clean or tight" and calls the push for rules "hateful" ([50:36]).
  • Bongino rebuts with natural experiments and biological realities: "If there were no advantages, why do no women compete in men’s sports?" ([53:02])
• Wealth Tax Debate: Elizabeth Warren’s plan is dismissed as populist but economically self-defeating; driving out wealth, spurring capital flight, and triggering market crashes.
  • "You institute this wealth tax and people leave. And then when they're forced to pay, if they have to, they have to liquidate assets...the stock market would be wiped out tomorrow in a mass liquidation event..." ([56:28], paraphrased)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump "maximalist" approach:
  "He takes a maximalist position…Meanwhile in Donald Trump’s head is a ten percent tariff but he knows the country doesn’t want one hundred percent tariff…In the end, he gets what he wants." ([04:08], Dan Bongino)

• On leakers:
  "Leaking classified national security secrets is not protected speech or whistleblowing. It’s a crime, dude…" ([13:21], Dan Bongino)

• On NATO: "It’s time to get a refund from NATO...let us know, and we can slowly part ways…You start paying for it then, paying us back." ([16:56], Dan Bongino)
  "If NATO is just about us defending Europe, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that's not a good arrangement..." ([31:04], Marco Rubio)

• On Democrat policies:
  "The reason the Democrats suck so bad...is when you conduct a natural experiment of people who live in California with high taxes versus Florida with no income tax, people leave California to go to Florida." ([42:00], Dan Bongino)

Interview with Scott Jennings (62:14–87:34)

Debating Liberals and the Value of Live, Authentic Communication

Highlights:

• The CNN Experience: Jennings, a prominent conservative voice on a mostly liberal panel, describes his nightly debates as a rare and valuable space where real ideological exchange still occurs.
  • "There aren’t too many debating spaces in American media right now…CNN decides we're going to actually have some debates…It's incredibly valuable." ([63:38], Scott Jennings)
• Emotions vs. Facts:
  "They're ruled by emotion, ruled by vibes. They want you to forget that as conservatives we tend to be ruled by logic and facts and analysis..." ([69:03], Jennings)
• AI & Instant Fact-Checking:
  "You're going to get killed on the internet for this…somebody’s going to have posted a compilation of debunking of this...they’re going to embarrass themselves repeatedly, you've got a whole army of people out there on the internet who are more than willing and ready to fact check them..." ([69:01], Jennings)
• Shifting Narratives:
  Jennings discusses liberals' tendency to shift positions and ignore recent history if it serves the current argument.
  • "They just make arguments that they think sound good in the moment...not really moored to any values or anything they said two months ago, six months ago, last year..." ([72:25], Jennings)
• On Authenticity in the AI Era:
  "The era of kind of the scripted puppet is over…the people who can actually do it live, do it authentically—those are the people who are going to succeed..." ([82:43], Jennings)
• Happy Warriors:
  "Do it with a full heart and a little bit of a smile…as conservatives if we're true and we're happy, I think more Americans are going to gravitate towards our arguments..." ([84:35], Jennings)

Memorable Endorsements

• "Man, that may be one of my favorite interviews..." ([87:50], Bongino)
• Jennings plugs his book, show, radio, and social profiles: @ScottJenningsKY on all platforms.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Trump’s Iran Threat and Maximalist Negotiation: 03:18–07:38
• Media/Political Response & Leaks: 09:06–16:53
• NATO, U.S. Role, and Refund Theme: 16:56–35:00
• Domestic Politics, AI Fact-Checking, Progressive Failures: 39:56–48:45
• Sports, Gender, and Biological Reality: 50:36–54:57
• Wealth Tax, Economic Reality: 55:20–57:24
• Scott Jennings Interview: 62:14–87:34

Tone and Style

• Direct, combative, unapologetically pro-American, with frequent sarcasm and humorous asides.
• Bongino is passionate and often incredulous at what he sees as leftist hypocrisy, bureaucratic incompetence, and the dangers of media spin.
• The Scott Jennings interview strikes a collegial, insightful tone, with mutual respect for skillful debate and authenticity.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is a comprehensive, high-energy tour through the major flashpoints in American politics—foreign policy (especially Iran), NATO frustrations, the domestic impact of partisan governance, and the technological shift making it harder for misinformation or inconsistency to go unchallenged. The show’s final hour is an exceptional masterclass on being a conservative voice in hostile media environments, courtesy of Scott Jennings. The episode asserts that facts, history, and evidence are on the side of the political right, and that technology is only magnifying this advantage as voters can check claims in real-time.

For further listening, check Dan Bongino’s show archives or follow guest Scott Jennings on X @ScottJenningsKY.