Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and host of War Room, is quietly considering running for US president in 2028. At 71, he has started asking for political advice from trusted sources. His potential rival could be Vice President JD Vance, who many see as Donald Trump’s chosen successor.
If Bannon runs, it would pit the man who helped create the MAGA movement against the man carrying its torch now. Some sources say Bannon doesn’t believe Vance is tough enough to lead. They claim Bannon played a key role in shaping Vance’s political image and helped position him for the vice presidency.
Trump has publicly named Vance as his favorite to take over after him. At this year’s CPAC conference, Vance led a straw poll with 61% of the vote, while Bannon came in second with 12%. Although Bannon once called the idea of him running “too absurd,” he hasn’t fully ruled it out. He says he doesn’t think like a politician and mainly works to support Trump and advance the “America First” agenda.
Bannon is a major voice in the MAGA movement through his War Room show. He’s also stirred controversy by suggesting Trump could seek a third term, something the former president recently said he likely won’t pursue.
His possible run comes as he’s connected to another explosive story, the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bannon claims to have about 15 hours of unpublished interviews with Epstein, recorded in 2019 before his death. Some speculate that if Bannon keeps these tapes unreleased, he could use them as leverage in 2028.
Whether Bannon runs or stays behind the scenes, his moves are already hinting at a major internal clash within the Republican Party’s populist wing.