Steve Bannon’s 2023 WarRoom remarks paint a vivid picture of the populist movement’s surge into what he calls the “Imperial Capital” of Washington, D.C. Bannon, known for his brash, unapologetic America First rhetoric, asserted that the movement, driven by grassroots support, is poised to completely transform the U.S. government by dismantling the administrative state. Bannon framed the movement as a historic force that has muscled its way into the political mainstream, turning the tide of American politics against the entrenched elites.
"You’ve muscled your way into the Imperial Capital,” Bannon proclaimed, framing the populist push as a battle for power and control, one that he believes will reshape the future of American governance.
“It’s not just about winning the election—it’s about taking down the administrative state,” Bannon said during a WarRoom segment, emphasizing that the Populist-Nationalist revolution is not merely about electoral victories but about a systemic overhaul.
"We don’t need to win the primary. We’re going to win the landslide.” His confidence that Donald Trump will return to power in 2025 is rooted in what he sees as an unstoppable populist wave that will challenge and ultimately defeat the political establishment.
Bannon’s disdain for traditional political figures and his certainty in the movement’s future was evident as he discussed the 2024 Republican primary. “Murdoch’s the cooler,” Bannon said, referring to Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul he claims is backing candidates destined to fail. “You hitch all 16 guys to Murdoch in 2016, gone. The same’s gonna happen now—Santos, Tim Scott, Glenn Youngkin, all gone. Sununu won’t even get off the beach.”
In Bannon’s view, the primary was already over before it happened and he was right. Then he set his sights on the general election, predicting that Trump will face a Democratic candidate not named Joe Biden.
And he was right.
“We’re not running against Biden—it’s gonna be Newsom, maybe Big Mike (Michelle Obama), Pritzker, or Whitmer. Pick one, we’re going to win.”
Bannon also linked the populist surge in the U.S. to global movements. He referenced the political unrest in Israel, where mass protests have erupted over judicial reforms.
“What’s happening in Israel right now is a forerunner of what’s coming here,” Bannon said. “This is the remnant, drafting off us.”
For Bannon, the movement’s success lies in its ability to force its way into the political arena and challenge the ruling class’s dominance.
Check out Bannon’s comments:
