By Steve Bannon, the influential former adviser to President Donald Trump and host of the War Room podcast, is taking preliminary steps that suggest he is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, according to sources familiar with his plans.
The activity comes as Steve Bannon works to preserve and expand his standing inside the MAGA movement during the early months of Trump’s second term. Sources say Bannon’s objective would be less about capturing the White House than about shaping the party’s ideological direction, using a presidential campaign as leverage to pull Republican contenders toward a hard-edged “America First” agenda.
That agenda, according to people familiar with Bannon’s thinking, would center on non-interventionist foreign policy, economic populism, and aggressive resistance to the power of major technology companies.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a frequent guest on Bannon’s show, summarized the concept bluntly: “The Bannon campaign will merge the foreign policy of Rand Paul with the tax policy of Elizabeth Warren.”
Publicly, Bannon has dismissed the idea of a presidential bid outright. He told Axios the notion is “bullsh*t,” insisting his focus for 2028 remains on advocating for a third term for President Trump, despite the constitutional two-term limit imposed by the 22nd Amendment.
“We don’t have a country if we don’t get every ounce of fight and energy from President Trump — you can drive a Mack Truck through the 22nd Amendment — and that’s exactly what I intend to do in order to save our country,” Bannon said.
Bannon has also said he is assisting with an upcoming book by Alan Dershowitz, titled Could President Trump Constitutionally Serve a Third Term?, set for release in March. The book reportedly explores arguments for how such a third term might be constitutionally possible.
Very few people think the president could run again, and Donald Trump himself has said he won’t. Last year, he said that the Vice President JD Vance and Marco Rubio would be an excellent ticket for 2028.
Behind the scenes, however, allies say Bannon has explored options that resemble early campaign infrastructure. Those discussions have included establishing a political action committee that could become active in the midterm elections and sounding out potential campaign staff, according to Axios. He has also increased his presence at Republican Party events in states such as Colorado and Georgia, cultivating relationships with local activists who wield influence in primary contests.
That organizing posture was on display Friday in Grapevine, Texas, where Bannon helped organize a “Save Texas from Radical Islam” conference and dinner that drew 750 attendees—the venue’s capacity—with more than 1,000 additional ticket requests. Hosted by War Room and sponsored by Patriot Mobile, the event featured Glenn Beck as keynote speaker and brought together 150 grassroots leaders from 22 organizations. Bannon announced plans to launch “WarRoom: Texas” and to relocate his show to the state for the entire month of February ahead of the March 3 Texas primary.
Associates describe any future Bannon campaign as unconventional, likely run from his Capitol Hill podcast studio rather than through traditional rallies in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. One ally framed Bannon’s public fixation on a third Trump term as a strategic tell: “When Trump doesn’t end up running, he’ll reluctantly say he must carry the mantle.”
Most constitutional scholars maintain that the 22nd Amendment flatly bars a third presidential term, a position Trump himself has described as “pretty clear.”
In recent months, Bannon has also used his platform to pressure figures widely seen as potential 2028 Republican contenders, sharpening ideological fault lines within the party.
He has criticized Vice President JD Vance for what he views as insufficient confrontation with Big Tech, saying on his show that anyone in the White House “not standing up to [tech]” is “part of the problem.” A source close to Vance described him as viewing Bannon as “a friend and ideological ally on nationalism/populism.”
Bannon has accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of being overly supportive of Israel, pointing to Rubio’s appearance at the Western Wall with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has also targeted Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for his positions on Israel and for backing legislation that would have reduced AI regulation, calling Cruz “the shill for Big Tech on the AI bill.”
The rumors come as the vice president racked up another endorsement for president over the weekend. Outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin endorsed J.D. Vance for the 2028 Republican nomination. “I think Vice President Vance would be a great nominee,” Youngkin said during the appearance with Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich. He added, “as people speculate on what’s going to happen down the road in 2028, I agree with President Trump and [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio. I think JD Vance would make a great, great presidential nominee.”
As the contours of the post-Trump Republican future begin to form, Bannon’s maneuvering underscores a familiar reality inside the GOP: even when he insists he is not running, he is positioning himself to ensure that the party runs in his direction.
[Read More: DNC Chairman Makes Insane Comparison]
