The GOP is facing a fresh political storm, as Steve Bannon—former White House aide and host of the “War Room” podcast—issued a stark warning on Friday. Bannon declared that Republicans could lose up to 40 House seats in the 2026 midterm elections due to internal rifts and public outrage over the handling of Jeffrey Epstein case files. His remarks have sparked new fears of a MAGA voter revolt that could shatter the Republican majority in the House, currently hanging at 220-212.
Bannon bold prediction and MAGA vote drift
Speaking to a live audience, Bannon said, “You’re going to lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement. If we lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement right now, we ain’t gonna … we’re gonna lose 40 seats in 2026.” He added that Republicans might even lose the presidency.
He also expressed frustration with the ongoing internal friction in the White House, saying this disheartens the core populist base. “They’ve disheartened the hardest core populist nation that’s always been who governs us,” Bannon added, suggesting the damage was deep.
Trump attacks Biden, Hillary, and Obama over Epstein Files
Just hours before Bannon’s statement, former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social with a blistering post. He accused former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and others of manipulating the narrative around the Epstein Files.
“Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, 51 ‘Intelligence’ Agents, ‘THE LAPTOP FROM HELL,’ and more?” Trump said.
“They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands,” he added.
Controversy deepens over DOJ’s Epstein memo
The controversy intensified after the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI released a memo on Monday. The report concluded that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell in 2019 and had no client list. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who backed the findings in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, came under fire. Critics pointed out her earlier claim that she had a list of names “sitting on her desk.”
Despite the backlash, Trump and members of his administration have continued to defend her. Reports from CNN and Semafor revealed that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino was furious over the memo’s release. He even skipped work on Friday and considered resigning. FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly shares Bongino’s frustration with Bondi’s DOJ leadership.
Democrats eye opportunity amid GOP chaos
The Epstein file scandal and the GOP’s unpopular “big, beautiful” spending cuts have given Democrats a strategic edge. After major 2024 losses, Democrats aim to flip both House and Senate seats in 2026.
As Bannon suggests, the damage may already be done. “They don’t even have to steal it, which they’re gonna try to do in ’28,” he warned, “because they’re gonna sit there and they go…”
The Republican leadership now faces the challenge of restoring MAGA trust before it spirals into electoral disaster.
