In a sharp and insightful discussion on War Room, Steve Bannon addressed President Trump’s firm stance on the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Bannon emphasized the significance of Trump’s influence, stating, “Putin has announced he is prepared for a cease-fire. I think President Trump, sending a message, not just publicly, but I’m sure on back channels that he is just not gonna sit there, he’s not gonna be happy with games being played.”
Bannon highlighted the heavy toll the war has had on both nations, noting the staggering number of casualties. “President Trump has gone out of his way so many times. He talks about the casualties from Ukraine. He talks about the casualties in Russia,” Bannon stated. He relayed Trump’s concern, stating, “President Trump says up to a million, dead and wounded.”
Further detailing the grim realities, Bannon shared insights from a conversation with Ian Bremmer, mentioning, “Ian told me flat out the Russians are 800,000 dead or wounded.”
Bannon also painted a stark picture of the conditions within Russian prisons, explaining why many inmates opt to join the military. “You either gonna spend the rest of your life in prison or ten or twenty years, or some of you guys are gonna die here, or I’ll give you a shot. If you make it through, you are free,” he said, referencing the book Death is Our Business.
He wrapped up his thoughts on President Trump’s objectives, stating, “This is President Trump. What he is trying to do is get some framework around this so we can lay the guns down. The war of attrition can stop and then you can start talking about some sort of deal.”
The discussion then shifted to America’s economic challenges, particularly the deficit. Bannon stressed the need for serious measures, beyond just targeting waste, fraud, and abuse. “We have to get serious about cutting that. The only way you are gonna cut it, and I’ve said this before, yes, there is waste, fraud and abuse,” he said.
However, he warned, “But it’s not gonna be a trillion dollars. You are not gonna cut the deficit in half, with waste, fraud and abuse spending cuts. That’s too easy. It’s not a magic wand.”
In closing, Bannon pointed out the tough decisions ahead concerning defense and social programs, predicting media backlash. “The media is gonna be all over you every day of the week, right? Just like deporting 10 million people. Think it’s gonna be easy?” he questioned.
