Bill O’Reilly, a well-known author and talk show host, claims that “evil is on the rise in America and abroad.” He describes evil as simply the act of one person deliberately causing harm to another.
He draws parallels between various figures of evil, such as the murderer of Charlie Kirk and Vladimir Putin. O’Reilly believes that around 15% of the global population embodies this malevolence. He’s promoting his latest bestseller, Stand Up Against Evil: Assess the Worst and Worst, where he examines evil throughout history—from Caligula and Genghis Khan to King Henry VIII, various slave traders, and notorious figures like Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and Khomeini, as well as drug cartels. Collectively, these individuals are accountable for immense suffering worldwide, spreading their harmful ideologies beyond their immediate actions.
“Could ideas or ideologies themselves be considered evil?” questions host Peter Schweiser.
“Absolutely. If you believe that exterminating a group of people is justified, even if you’re not the one carrying it out, you’re still part of that evil,” O’Reilly explains. “For instance, the Persian people who empowered Khomeini are indirectly responsible for the deaths of countless individuals. Ignoring evil only allows it to grow more powerful.”
Schweiser and co-host Eric Eggers reflect on the particular timing of O’Reilly’s comments, noting that shortly after his book’s release, Putin engaged in an aggressive act that could escalate tensions, and a sniper reportedly radicalized from the left assassinated conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on a Utah campus.
O’Reilly expresses that he wrote his book because he sensed an increase in evil, comparing today’s climate to the 1930s. He speculates that Putin may use nuclear weapons due to his unstable mental state and asserts that the global threat of evil is indeed rising. “That’s why I wrote the book,” he states.
Having parted ways with Fox News seven years ago, O’Reilly has maintained a longstanding friendship with former President Donald Trump. He recently visited New York and shared that he received an unexpected invite from the Chinese government to visit Beijing.
“The Chinese government monitors YouTube and is aware of my connection with President Trump. Most social media is banned in China, so they’re somewhat out of touch,” he reveals.
O’Reilly reflects on China’s historical mentality regarding fear, tracing it back to Genghis Khan’s Mongol invasions. “If you want to engage meaningfully with them, you need to understand their perspective. The people lived through Mao Zedong’s regime, which killed millions, yet his imagery is prevalent. Imagine if an American committed similar atrocities—would their image be everywhere? The Chinese seem not to grasp that,” he explains.
He believes Xi Jinping is primarily a businessman, suggesting potential for diplomacy between Trump and Xi. “He leans towards ideology but ultimately aims to uplift a vast population,” he adds.
Schweiser, who has investigated China’s role in the fentanyl crisis, inquires about a notable meeting O’Reilly had with Chinese officials.
“During the meeting, they expressed interest in having Trump visit, and I suggested that for that to happen, they needed to cease their involvement with fentanyl,” he recounts. “The response was… silence. I let that be the end of the topic,” O’Reilly mentions.
His book dedicates an entire chapter to analyzing Vladimir Putin.
Schweiser and Eggers circle back to the shooting of Charlie Kirk, discussing how the political left sometimes equates Trump with historical tyrants. “Most people see those comparisons as absurd, but does it linger? In a country where we throw such labels around easily, is this an indication of rising moral failure?” asks Eggers.
O’Reilly counters that leftists have nearly lost their credibility. “Kirk’s assassination has pushed them to a tipping point. Intellectuals like Stephen King and law professors have seriously harmed their cause by attempting to justify such an abominable act,” he says. “This will leave a significant legacy for Charlie Kirk.”
He goes on to share that Trump is distressed over Kirk’s murder and the political implications stemming from it, but he also believes it’s unjust to single out one person for inflammatory rhetoric. “Some radicals are going to act out. It’s challenging to manage. All one can do is condemn certain behaviors, yet the extreme left often resorts to language like ‘Hitler,’ ‘fascist,’ and ‘racist.’ That’s not right, and all Americans should hold them accountable,” he concludes.
“That’s evil,” he reiterates.
For more information about Peter Schweizer, visit the podcast Drill Down.
