Steve Bannon, one of the architects of the MAGA movement and former Trump White House strategist, is sounding the alarm: the Republican base is running scared, and midterm enthusiasm is collapsing.
On his War Room podcast, Bannon warned that core MAGA voters are disengaged, frustrated, and increasingly skeptical about whether the GOP is worth showing up for in 2026.
“You have a massive lack of enthusiasm among the base because they’re sitting there going, ‘I’m just not feeling it right now,’” Bannon said. “Step up and do something.”
His message was blunt. If Republican leaders don’t ignite their voters, the party risks losing both chambers of Congress.
Bannon cited polling from conservative strategists, noting that Democrats are outpacing Republicans in voter enthusiasm. In a recent generic ballot poll, Democrats held a lead in “extremely enthusiastic” voter motivation, 53.6 percent to 41.8 percent — a gap that could translate into real midterm losses if Republicans fail to rally the base.
The warning comes at a critical moment. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, but fights over funding the Department of Homeland Security and other priorities have created a sense of infighting. The base, Bannon argued, is noticing — and losing confidence. “Step up and do something,” he repeated, directing the message to GOP leaders and, implicitly, to Trump himself.
Bannon didn’t just highlight malaise; he floated provocative ideas about how to regain control. H suggested federal immigration agents could “surround the polls” during the 2026 elections — a notion criticized by voting rights advocates as intimidation.
Fractures in the GOP are real. Some MAGA voters have publicly complained that Trump’s agenda feels unfocused or disconnected from everyday concerns. Strategic infighting and conflicting messages within the party have only amplified voter apathy. Bannon’s stark message makes it clear that this is not a party operating with the same energy that carried it to previous victories.
Bannon’s meltdown underscores a deep anxiety within the conservative movement, and it acts as a warning shot to Trump and Republican leaders. Where rallies and rhetoric once reliably fired up the base, Bannon argues, that engine is sputtering. Without renewed energy, midterm turnout could falter, leaving Democrats with a a massive advantage.
