Steve Bannon has an ulterior motive for banging the “Trump 2028” drum.
Close associates of Bannon, 72, told Axios that the former White House adviser keeps mentioning a third Trump term—which is unconstitutional—because he wants to run for president himself.
“When Trump doesn’t end up running, [Bannon] will reluctantly say he must carry the mantle,” a source told the publication.
The report suggests that even as Bannon publicly alludes to mysterious legal loopholes that could help Trump circumvent the constitutionally imposed two-term limit on a president, he privately knows that a third Trump term isn’t a realistic possibility.
Bannon began threatening to bulldoze the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms, last November.
At the time, he said a “constitutional lawyer” told him, ”Bannon, you can drive a Mack truck through the 22nd Amendment.“
That lawyer turned out to be controversial Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz, who is currently working with Bannon on a book titled Could President Trump Constitutionally Serve a Third Term?, which comes out in March.
Bannon vehemently denied his interest in a presidential run to Axios, calling it “bulls--t” and adding, “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.”
Steve Bannon did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment.
Despite Bannon’s protestations, the Virginian strategist has already begun laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run, his allies told Axios. The former White House Chief Strategist has explored creating a PAC, spoken with allies who could become campaign staff, and met with state-level organizers who could aid him in eventual primaries.
However, the insiders also said that Bannon’s run wouldn’t be a serious bid for president. Rather, it would be a stunt campaign that he’d use to shape GOP policy debate toward a more “America First” agenda and needle other GOP presidential hopefuls.
These include Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both of whom Bannon has criticized for cozying up to big tech.
“The admin, JD, Marco, are owned by the broligarchs,” Bannon said in a Nov. 14 episode of his podcast, War Room. “The big fight coming for MAGA is not ‘Con Inc.’ because they are not as powerful as they were. The tech bros are. That game of the tech bros is going to come crashing down in the end. Going to be brutal, but it has got to be done.”
In November, author Jonathan Karl said Bannon’s “Trump 2028″ campaign was a way to troll Vance, who is widely seen as the heir apparent to the Trump regime.
Trump has admitted it’s “pretty clear” he cannot run for a third term.
