Steve Bannon, the far-right podcaster and former top Trump advisor, delivered a frantic warning to Republicans on Capitol Hill this week: fail to win the midterms, and some in the GOP—including himself—could be headed to prison.
“I’ll tell you right, as God as my witness, if we lose the midterms and we lose 2028, some in this room are going to prison,” Bannon told a crowd Wednesday at an awards event hosted by the Conservative Partnership Academy, which trains aspiring conservative operatives for careers in politics and government.
Bannon, who has already served prison time for defying a congressional subpoena during his tenure as a top Trump aide, included himself among those who could face legal consequences if Democrats retain or expand power. His remarks appeared to suggest that some Republicans are already on shaky legal ground—and that the only way to avoid prosecution is by staying in power and consolidating control of government institutions.
He framed recent Democratic wins in New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey as a warning to Trump’s MAGA base—but called for escalation, not retreat.
“They’re not gonna stop,” Bannon said of Democrats and progressives. He painted the left as radical and warned that Republicans must respond with equal intensity. “We have to counter that.”
Bannon’s prescription for avoiding political disaster: act fast and push to “codify what Trump has done by executive order,” even if it means bypassing “structural barriers” in Washington. His remarks appeared to reference moves like eliminating the Senate filibuster to expand executive power, effectively suggesting that breaking or bending the rules may be necessary to protect themselves.
He said he has already spoken with influential Senate Republicans, including Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. “These are what I would call heavy-hitters on the limited-government constitutionalists, in our movement,” Bannon said. He predicted more conservative figures would publicly endorse his “maximalist strategy” soon.
“We have to understand that if we don’t this to the maximum—the maximalist strategy—now, with a sense of urgency, and in doing this, seize the institutions… if we don’t do this now, we’re going to lose this chance forever, because you’re never going to have another Trump,” he added.
Bannon also singled out New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, calling him and his supporters “very serious people” who must be confronted forcefully. He suggested targeting Mamdani’s citizenship and even calling for deportation, despite Mamdani being a naturalized U.S. citizen.
The clip of Bannon warning of prison if Republicans lose quickly went viral, drawing immediate partisan reactions.
“Steve Bannon motivating Democratic voters,” said Aviel Roshwald, a Georgetown University history professor focused on nationalist movements.
Critics warned that Bannon’s rhetoric could normalize institutional takeover and make lawbreaking seem justified. “He’s preparing his audience to see violence and institutional takeover as ‘necessary.’ And he’s counting on Democrats and independents being too divided or too polite to call it what it is,” wrote political commentator Christopher Webb on his Substack.
“They do not give a damn about the law, the Constitution, or democracy. They only care about control. And if we keep treating their words as ‘just talk,’ it will be too late when it stops being talk,” Webb added.
“This isn’t going to end well,” he concluded.
Watch the clip below:
