Bannon Sounds Alarm: Trump’s Base Lacks Enthusiasm Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Steve Bannon has issued a stark warning to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party regarding a significant decline in enthusiasm among the MAGA base as the 2026 midterm elections loom.
During a recent episode of his War Room podcast, Bannon, who served as an adviser during Trump’s first term, expressed frustration over Republicans seemingly retreating amid ongoing negotiations concerning Department of Homeland Security funding to prevent a government shutdown.
“Step up and do something,” Bannon urged, emphasizing that the base is feeling disillusioned. “You have a massive lack of enthusiasm among the base because they're sitting there going, ‘I'm just not feeling it right now.’”
He referenced polling data indicating potential trouble for Republicans in the upcoming November elections, citing insights from conservative pollsters Rich Baris and Mark Mitchell. “If Republicans are going to experience a comeback, something has got to change sooner rather than later,” Baris stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Polling conducted by Baris’s Big Data Poll at the end of January revealed a favorable outlook for Democrats. “On the initial Generic Ballot without leaners, 46.1 percent of likely voters say they would vote for the Democratic candidate and 42.0 percent say they would vote for the Republican candidate,” the findings showed.
Moreover, Democrats have widened their lead among those who are “Extremely Enthusiastic” about voting, with 53.6 percent compared to 41.8 percent for Republicans.
Mitchell, head pollster for Rasmussen Reports, criticized the Trump administration’s approach, stating that it “chose theatrics over results, and is paying the price politically.”
In an op-ed for The New York Post, he noted, “Rather than doubling down on systemic accountability, the last few months have felt unfocused, with counter-signaling on affordability and jobs, infighting, the Epstein saga, renewed foreign entanglements and a governing posture that feels reactive rather than intentional. Voters are noticing.”
Concerns have emerged from factions within Trump’s MAGA base, who feel that the president is overly preoccupied with international issues while domestic challenges like high living costs persist.
Bannon’s recent warnings about the midterms follow his controversial remarks last week regarding federal immigration officers potentially “surrounding the polls.”
“You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November,” he declared on his podcast. “We’re not going to sit here and allow you to steal the country again. And you can whine and cry and throw your toys out of the pram all you want, but we will never again allow an election to be stolen.”
