Steve Bannon, a key strategist of the MAGA movement and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, publicly criticized Trump on Tuesday, accusing him of being disengaged and partially responsible for Republican election losses across several states.
Speaking on his War Room podcast with conservative host Eric Bolling, Bannon argued that Trump has failed to involve himself meaningfully in key races and that his absence has weakened the party’s performance. “He’s not engaged,” Bannon said, warning that Trump’s lack of focus could have damaging consequences for the GOP heading into the next election cycle.
Bannon pointed specifically to contests in New Jersey, Virginia, New York, and California as examples of where Trump’s influence has been missing. “They think Trump’s a passing summer storm… the Republican establishment hates Trump. They’ve had no engagement with Trump in any of these elections. He wasn’t engaged in New Jersey.
He’s not engaged in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He’s not engaged in New York City. He’s not engaged in California,” Bannon said. Despite his criticism, Bannon also defended Trump’s political legacy, calling his return to prominence “the greatest political comeback in history.”
However, he urged Trump to take a more assertive stance, particularly in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s controversial redistricting efforts in California under Proposition 50. Bannon suggested that Trump should “have the Department of Justice officials on a plane to California” to challenge what he described as “the unconstitutionality of what they did in California.”
He predicted that Prop. 50 could deliver an early blow to Republicans, saying, “That thing could be over the moment the polls close.” Throughout the discussion, Bannon emphasized that Trump’s political movement remains essential to energizing the Republican base. “You can’t bend to the Democrats,” he said. “I think we need Trump, and we need harder Trump.
How ‘bout this? Suck on this. Give ‘em Trump and MAGA — Trumpism, full unvarnished. Let’s roll.” Bannon also took aim at several prominent Republicans, including Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and former Governor Glenn Youngkin, accusing them of failing to implement MAGA-aligned policies despite benefiting from Trump’s earlier support.
“They couldn’t be bothered for four years to implement any MAGA programs. They couldn’t be bothered to have Trump down there,” he said. Concluding his remarks, Bannon warned Republicans against distancing themselves from Trump, claiming the party cannot attract voters without his influence.
“What you’re going to get tonight is you’re going to get the Republican Party without Trump… And people think you’re going to get these low-propensity, low-information voters without Trump, you’re kidding yourselves,” he said. Bannon ended his tirade with a challenge to the president: “Trump 2028, show me what you got.”