Shortly after his early release from prison on Tuesday, longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon returned to his podcast, War Room, expressing concerns about a “nightmare” scenario if the former president was elected without a Republican-led House to support his administration.
Bannon’s comments came during a discussion with Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project and one of Trump’s most ardent defenders on social media. Bannon emphasized that, beyond the presidential race, down-ballot elections would be crucial for Republicans.
“We’ve got to take the House,” Bannon said, adding that securing the Senate was equally essential to avoid what he saw as an inevitable Democratic effort to undermine a second Trump term.
“A Trump second term without the House would be a nightmare, right? How quickly would they move to impeach him?” he asked Davis. Davis responded, “They will do whatever it takes to stop President Trump,” pointing to their previous efforts.
Bannon questioned if Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin’s remarks labeling Trump an “insurrectionist” could escalate into Democratic efforts to block the certification of a potential Trump victory.
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon on July 1, 2024, in Danbury, Connecticut. Bannon returned to War Room shortly after his release, warning of a “nightmare” if Donald Trump won the presidency without Republican control of the House.
Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images
“If they take even a seat, throwing down hard and saying, ‘President Trump’s an insurrectionist…we’re not going to certify his election,'” Bannon said, questioning if this scenario is merely “hot air” from Democrats or a real threat.
After serving a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Bannon returned to his podcast and online show, declaring his focus on helping Trump win the 2024 presidential election.
On the two-hour show, Bannon criticized Democrats and their agenda, claiming that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sought to silence him by sending him to prison—despite his conviction by a jury and sentencing by a judge.
“The four months in federal prison not only didn’t break me, it empowered me,” Bannon said. “I’m more energized and more focused than I’ve ever been in my life, and I can see clearly, just like in 2016 and in 2020, exactly what’s going on here.”
A jury convicted Bannon in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to sit for a deposition with the January 6 House Committee and another for refusing to provide documents related to his involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Bannon also faces additional criminal charges in New York state court, where he is accused of defrauding donors who contributed funds to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering, conspiracy, fraud, and other allegations. His trial is scheduled to begin in December.
