Bill O'Reilly Slams San Francisco in Prime-Time Special

Former Fox News host paints city as in "social collapse" due to "permissive" progressive policies.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 5:18am by Ben Kaplan

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In a blistering prime-time special on NewsNation, former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly delivered a scathing critique of San Francisco, painting the city as being in a state of "social collapse" due to what he called the "permissive" progressive policies of local and state leaders. O'Reilly took aim at figures like former Mayor London Breed, Governor Gavin Newsom, Nancy Pelosi, and Kamala Harris, arguing their "progressive ideology" has allowed issues like homelessness, drug addiction, and crime to run rampant, particularly in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

Why it matters

O'Reilly's attack on San Francisco is the latest example of a high-profile conservative commentator seizing on the city's well-documented social challenges to criticize progressive policies. While San Francisco has grappled with complex urban issues, O'Reilly's report presented a one-sided and oversimplified view, failing to acknowledge the city's recent shift toward more moderate leadership or the broader national trends impacting cities.

The details

The hour-long special, titled "The Decline and Fall of San Francisco," focused on quality-of-life issues like open drug use, tent encampments, and theft that have long plagued the Tenderloin. O'Reilly interviewed former Mayor Willie Brown, who defended the city by arguing its problems reflect broader urban challenges, and he also spoke with "San Fransicko" author Michael Shellenberger and drug recovery advocates. Without evidence, O'Reilly claimed the city's leadership is intentionally allowing the chaos to continue.

  • The special aired on NewsNation on March 27, 2026.

The players

Bill O'Reilly

A veteran right-wing commentator and former host on Fox News.

London Breed

The former mayor of San Francisco.

Gavin Newsom

The governor of California.

Nancy Pelosi

A U.S. Representative from California's 12th congressional district, which includes San Francisco.

Kamala Harris

The former U.S. Senator from California and current Vice President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“The people responsible for this catastrophe are former Mayor London Breed, Governor Gavin Newsom, Nancy Pelosi, and Kamala Harris — all of them committed to a progressive ideology.”

— Bill O'Reilly

“It's not worth wasting time to expose whose fault it is. I want to continue, as I'm currently doing, participating in altering the process. The city... is in transition, as most cities in America (are).”

— Willie Brown, Former Mayor of San Francisco

What’s next

The special aired the same day that former President Donald Trump praised San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for trying to get the city's crime under control, suggesting Lurie's leadership could mark a "new day" for San Francisco.

The takeaway

O'Reilly's scathing critique of San Francisco's progressive policies reflects the ongoing political divide over how to address complex urban challenges. While the city faces real issues, O'Reilly's one-sided report oversimplified the problems and failed to acknowledge the city's recent shift toward more moderate leadership or the broader national trends impacting cities.