Steve Bannon, a key figure behind the success of the MAGA movement that helped elect Donald Trump to the White House twice, is seeing growing support for his brand of “economic populism,” even among some top Democrats. Bannon’s approach, which prioritizes the interests of the working and middle classes over big corporations and elites, is starting to find unexpected traction as Democrats look for ways to re-align in the wake of Trump’s potential political comeback.
In an interview with Newsweek, Bannon discussed his appearance on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s podcast, where they found common ground on issues such as corporate tax cuts, tariffs, and manufacturing jobs. Newsom, a progressive Democrat often speculated to be positioning himself for a presidential run in 2028, seemed to embrace the very economic populist ideas that Bannon has championed for years—ideas that are typically seen as central to the MAGA movement.
Despite not holding an official position in Trump’s second term, Bannon’s influence remains substantial. He is a leading voice outside the White House, pushing for a stronger, more grassroots MAGA movement. Through his popular War Room podcast, he consistently advocates for policies that protect American workers and challenge the establishment elites.
Bannon’s conversation with Newsom marked a significant moment of crossover between the political left and right. While Newsom hails from California, a state that has long embraced globalization, his willingness to discuss economic populism suggests that even Democrats are beginning to adopt some of the policies Bannon has long supported. These include a rejection of corporate tax breaks and an emphasis on national economic interests over globalist agendas.
Bannon also pointed to certain Democrats, like Representative Ro Khanna and Senator John Fetterman, who have started to build a following with their own economic populist rhetoric. According to Bannon, these figures represent a shift in the Democratic Party, with more Democrats moving toward ideas that resonate with MAGA supporters.
Bannon’s skepticism of the tech industry and the influence of Silicon Valley has also been a prominent feature of his political career. Although he’s had his criticisms of Elon Musk, particularly regarding Musk’s business ties to China, Bannon expressed some admiration for Musk’s efforts to root out inefficiency in the federal government. Musk’s initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aims to reduce government waste, and Bannon supports its goal of shrinking the federal bureaucracy. While Bannon acknowledged that Musk’s approach may not always align with his own, he believes that it represents an important step toward deconstructing an oversized administrative state.
Bannon’s stance on government layoffs and restructuring is clear: while he recognizes the pain such actions can cause, he believes they are necessary for the country’s economic survival. He doesn’t view mass layoffs as inherently anti-populist; in fact, he argues that government employees are not entitled to lifetime jobs and should be treated with respect, even as the government shrinks.
For Bannon, the overall goal is simple: transform the system to serve working Americans and make the government more accountable. He believes that dramatic actions, like those being taken by DOGE, are necessary to reset a system that has failed the middle class. And as more federal employees are laid off and the bureaucracy is reduced, Bannon sees this as part of a larger movement that will ultimately benefit the American people.
In his view, the federal government needs to be restructured from the ground up, and Bannon remains optimistic that even if not everyone agrees with his methods, the long-term results will speak for themselves. For MAGA supporters, this reshaping of government is a critical piece of the larger political and economic agenda that continues to drive their vision for the country.