One of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken former allies turned critic on Monday, blasting the president’s priorities during a fiery podcast appearance. Steve Bannon, who once served as Trump’s chief strategist, said on his show The War Room that the president is devoting too much energy to the war in Ukraine instead of expanding federal power over local police forces.
Bannon’s frustration comes days after Trump moved to federalize the police in Washington, D.C., citing concerns about crime in the capital. Trump also threatened to extend similar action to Democratic-led cities such as Baltimore and Los Angeles, a proposal that legal experts say would face major constitutional challenges outside the nation’s capital.
“The war we’ve got to win is right here in this country, and it’s in Washington D.C.,” Steve Bannon said. “It’s going to be in New York City. It’s in Chicago, and most importantly, right now, with Gavin Newsom and all his big talk, it’s in Los Angeles, California. That’s the war that we’ve got to be focused on.”
He argued that Trump’s attention should shift to domestic security rather than international conflicts. “I want to give a security guarantee to the citizens of the United States on these invaders right now. That’s the security guarantee I want,” he said.
Bannon also criticized Trump’s willingness to meet with European leaders at the White House on Monday. The gathering, he claimed, was not formally scheduled but was instead designed to consume the president’s attention and draw focus away from issues like immigration and public safety. “This entire war is so that Ukraine could be a Western country,” Bannon said. “Well, I don’t give a tinker’s d—.”
The remarks highlight growing tension between Trump and some of his early political allies as he navigates a turbulent foreign policy landscape. The president has faced pressure from European governments to remain committed to Ukraine while also juggling concerns at home over rising crime and immigration.
Trump has defended his approach, arguing that both domestic security and international stability are priorities of his administration. Still, Bannon’s sharp words mark a rare public rebuke from a figure once considered central to Trump’s political rise.
For now, Trump continues to balance international talks with his push for federal authority over policing, a combination that may define his second term. Whether his focus remains abroad or shifts back toward domestic enforcement will likely fuel further debate in Washington and beyond.