Political commentator Bill O’Reilly argued Monday that the growing popularity of socialism in the United States is being fueled by a culture of entitlement and the influence of social media, saying younger Americans are receiving a distorted view of the country.
Speaking with NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert,” O’Reilly contended that promises of government benefits have become a pathway to political power.
“We’re living in a world of entitlement, and we’ll give you stuff,” O’Reilly said. “And that’s the way to power in this country. That’s how you get power.”
His remarks come as democratic socialist candidates have continued to gain momentum in races across the country, suggesting that voters are increasingly willing to support candidates who focus their campaigns on issues related to the economy and affordability.
The trend drew renewed attention following several Democratic House primary victories in New York, where a slate of democratic socialist candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated a number of establishment Democrats and incumbents.
During the interview, host Leland Vittert asked O’Reilly how socialist ideas have gained traction in the United States nearly 250 years after the nation’s founding, comparing the current political climate to earlier periods of upheaval in American history.
O’Reilly responded by pointing to what he sees as a dramatic cultural shift from the years following World War II. He contrasted that era with today, arguing that previous generations expected success to come through hard work rather than government assistance.
“The world my parents inhabited was post-World War II, and they got through the Depression, and nobody was handing anybody anything,” O’Reilly said. “They were gonna work, and they worked hard.”
He went on to criticize the role of social media and the education system, arguing that both have contributed to changing how young Americans view the country.
“Now, you’ve got social media telling you all kinds of nonsense. You’ve got derelict schools run by teachers’ unions that are communist,” O’Reilly said. “You’ve got powerful forces telling urchins in the classroom, ‘hey, you live in a crummy country. Hey, you don’t have a chance.’ That’s what’s happening.”
The discussion also touched on the broader political debate surrounding democratic socialism. The ideology is often incorrectly conflated with communism, and President Trump has repeatedly argued that the two are the same.
While criticizing the growth of socialist ideas, O’Reilly also acknowledged that President Trump shares some responsibility for the country’s political divisions. He argued that the president’s communication style has made it more difficult to persuade some Americans.
“I think his responsibility is that because of his manner. He’s alienated a lot of Americans who simply don’t like his presentation,” O’Reilly said. “So, they can’t get beyond Donald Trump’s presentation. In that way, he loses persuadability.”
O’Reilly also singled out Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., identifying the longtime democratic socialist as a key figure behind the movement’s growth in the United States.
“Sanders is the godfather of this,” O’Reilly said, pointing to the Vermont senator as a driving force behind the ideological shift that has gained increasing visibility in recent elections.
[READ MORE: Supreme Court Declines to Hear Trump Appeal in E. Jean Carroll Civil Case]
