Steve Bannon warned President Donald Trump and Republican leaders that enthusiasm among core MAGA voters has decreased as the 2026 midterm elections approach. He told his audience that GOP lawmakers must act quickly to energize their supporters.
On a recent episode of Bannon’s War Room podcast, the former White House strategist criticized congressional Republicans for their negotiations over funding for the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies. He argued that the party has not delivered results to keep voters motivated.
“There’s nothing to talk about. We control the Senate. We control the House. They’re all sitting there wondering if we could lose the Senate. Well, step up and do something,” Bannon said. “You have a massive lack of enthusiasm among the base because they’re sitting there going, ‘I’m just not feeling it right now.’”
Bannon’s comments came as Republicans try to maintain narrow margins in Congress during an election year when every House seat and a third of Senate seats will be on the ballot. Newsweek reported that Bannon viewed this moment as a warning to party leaders, whom he claims are “running for the hills” instead of pushing an agenda that keeps Trump’s voters engaged.
Recent polling indicates that Democrats have shown stronger motivation to vote than Republicans. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from November 7 to November 12, 2025, found that 44% of Democrats described themselves as “very enthusiastic” about voting in the 2026 elections, compared to 26% of Republicans. The same survey revealed that 79% of Democrats would regret not voting, while 68% of Republicans felt the same.
The Independent reported that Bannon referred to “our best pollsters” when making his case, highlighting conservatives Rich Baris of Big Data Poll and Mark Mitchell of Rasmussen Reports. In late January, Big Data Poll published a national generic ballot survey of likely voters, showing Democrats leading 46.1% to 42.0% in a head-to-head question, and leading 53.6% to 41.8% among those who described themselves as “extremely enthusiastic” about voting.
Bannon’s warning about voter energy also comes amid internal Republican tensions over how aggressively to pursue immigration enforcement and how to avoid political fallout from a potential shutdown related to DHS funding. Newsweek reported that Bannon argued Republicans risk demoralizing their supporters if they step back from issues that impact agencies like ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
Recently, Bannon has also attracted attention for his comments on elections and law enforcement. Time reported that he suggested deploying ICE agents near polling places during the midterms. This language raised voter intimidation concerns among Democrats and election experts, while the White House did not completely dismiss the idea. The Guardian reported on Bannon’s push for an ICE presence at polling sites and noted that election administration mainly rests with states, with laws in many areas limiting intimidation at voting locations.
Bannon has described his message as a call for urgency rather than a break with Trump. Newsweek reported that he praised Trump’s management of the economy, even as he criticized congressional Republicans and party leaders for failing to keep supporters engaged. The Independent mentioned that Mitchell has argued Republicans have relied on “theatrics over results” in recent months, a sentiment Bannon echoed while urging action to prevent a drop in support among voters who powered Trump’s coalition.
Control of Congress will be decided on November 3, 2026. Both parties view early signals about turnout and voter motivation as a crucial measure of the political climate.
