WATCH: James O’Keefe Full Speech at AmericaFest 2025

In this AmericaFest 2025 speech, James O’Keefe, founder of Project Veritas, describes his organization’s undercover investigations into alleged fraud and corruption across government agencies, universities, and private corporations. According to O’Keefe, the speech covers multiple years of hidden-camera work and serves as a recruitment pitch for new undercover journalists.

O’Keefe begins by describing an alleged investigation into DEI government contracts. According to O’Keefe, his team posed undercover and filmed a government contractor allegedly discussing “pass-throughs”—arrangements where the contractor performs minimal work while subcontractors do the majority, which O’Keefe claims violates federal law. In the video, O’Keefe alleges the contractor stated they do about 20% of the work while subcontractors do 80%. O’Keefe claims this investigation led to the head of the SBA and Treasury Secretary suspending contracts, and he states there are approximately 4,300 similar contractors allegedly responsible for 5% of the federal deficit.

O’Keefe then describes an undercover investigation at Georgetown University. According to O’Keefe, while wearing a disguise of dyed hair and glasses, he approached a journalism professor and revealed his identity. O’Keefe claims the professor, upon learning who he was, ran away and fell, requiring first aid. O’Keefe uses this anecdote to argue that simple disguises are effective for undercover work.

Next, O’Keefe alleges he infiltrated the Biden White House by posing as someone on dating apps. According to O’Keefe, a White House cyber security worker agreed to meet with him, and O’Keefe claims this demonstrates inadequate security protocols.

O’Keefe then recounts his organization’s long-standing ACORN investigation from years ago, describing how a 19-year-old college student and he allegedly posed as a pimp and prostitute. According to O’Keefe, ACORN employees allegedly provided advice on concealing a prostitution ring’s finances and allegedly suggested using underage individuals as tax dependents. O’Keefe emphasizes that this investigation was conducted by young people without major media resources.

O’Keefe describes additional investigations he claims exposed alleged misconduct at Pfizer. According to O’Keefe, he filmed a Pfizer director of mRNA who allegedly discussed mutating the coronavirus to develop new vaccines. O’Keefe claims the same individual later said he was lying to impress a date.

O’Keefe addresses the release of Epstein photos, alleging that his organization released unredacted images while Democrats later released redacted versions. According to O’Keefe, his team worked with sources in the Virgin Islands on this release.

O’Keefe then discusses his 2020 FBI raid, alleging the probable cause affidavit was almost entirely redacted except for a footnote stating an FBI agent learned that cell phones can send emails. O’Keefe calls this redaction a “national disgrace” and leaves a voicemail for Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding the affidavit be unredacted. According to O’Keefe, sources in Washington informed him that confidential FBI informants were placed inside Project Veritas to sabotage his operation.

O’Keefe concludes by describing various alleged exposés resulting in terminations, including a State Department employee allegedly caught on tape discussing a Chinese spy, a Pentagon employee allegedly discussing efforts to stop Donald Trump, a Disney executive allegedly involved in racial discrimination discussions, and an NIH employee allegedly involved in ancestry versus race discussions.

Finally, O’Keefe addresses fear among potential undercover journalists, arguing that courage and exposure of corruption are worth the risk. He ends by recruiting attendees to become undercover journalists in 2026.

In Nick Shirley’s Own Words

“I want you to break five massive bombshells exposing the federal government a year. When you go to Amfest, I want you to recruit the students to go undercover.”

“Things have gotten so corrupt and so broken, it doesn’t really take a lot except a little creativity and brass balls.”

“We’re all going to die. The outcome don’t change. We’re going to live comfortably or we’ll live a few more decades, but in one case we’ll die in shame, which is the worst way to die.”