Steve Bannon takes rare jab at Trump as he questions his influence

Steve Bannon, a former senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, has taken a rare jab at former President Donald Trump as questions mount about his influence on the modern GOP.

In a post on the right-wing social media platform Gettr on Monday, Bannon, whose “War Room” podcast is an essential listen in populist conservative circles, seemed to suggest that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was on the hook. point to assume the role of the Republican Party of today, praising a strategy to win, when others, notably the former president, had failed.

In a speech to the annual conference of the Republican Jewish Coalition this weekend, DeSantis spoke of the virtue of never giving up on one’s principles, referring to General Douglas MacArthur’s famous quote, “There is no substitute to victory,” after back-to-back elections in which Trump’s influence has emerged. to hold the party.

Bannon agreed.

“Governor DeSantis looks at WarRoom and does a straight lift,” Bannon wrote.

It was an unusual change for Bannon, who has been widely accused of being a key player in a violent Jan. 6, 2021, bid on the U.S. Capitol to keep Trump in power after losing the 2020 presidential election.

While Bannon has remained a cheerleader for the Trump-inspired Make America Great Again movement, Bannon reposted an article in The Hill late Monday morning written by Republican consultant Keith Naughton questioning whether Trump would “power off” before the caucuses Iowa crusaders, noting its poor performance in recent polls and its apparent inability to discuss anything new on the campaign trail.

And over the weekend he reposted a CNN poll showing Trump was in his weakest position in ‘years’, while positive DeSantis-related content was increasingly present on Bannon’s Gettr stream. .

But he also criticized DeSantis’ apparent campaign strategy, criticizing a report by Politico reporter Gary Fineout on CNN that DeSantis was already listening to a group of hedge funds and other donors to wait for Trump to “hit himself” before starting. . consolidation around DeSantis.

“Troubling report from Politico,” Bannon wrote. “Money dictates Governor DeSantis’ strategy – hedge fund money.”

And though Bannon hasn’t officially endorsed any candidate, he’s had little criticism of DeSantis and his politics, even praising him as a “national leader” over his decision to send undocumented migrants. from the US-Mexico border to the liberal enclave of Martha’s. Vineyard in Massachusetts in September.

“Governor DeSantis bolsters the image of a national leader by forcing illegal immigration to the top of the news,” Bannon wrote at the time.

Newsweek contacted Trump’s office for comment.