On Thrusday, in his signature fiery tone, Steve Bannon delivered a battle cry from the WarRoom, calling on President Donald J. Trump to wield the full constitutional power of the presidency to fight what he calls the “relentless administrative state” and judicial overreach. As President Trump prepares to sign his “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a sweeping economic package that marks a cornerstone of his second-term agenda — Bannon is urging a bolder strategy: executive defiance through recessions, impoundments, and a refusal to let activist courts dictate policy.
“They’re going to sue you anyway,” Bannon said. “So just go up to the top.” His advice? Use constitutional tools like pocket rescissions or full-on impoundments—mechanisms the President can use to withhold spending appropriated by Congress. According to Bannon and conservative policy strategist Russ Vought, the courts may immediately challenge Trump, but the fight itself is necessary and inevitable. “It’s not going to stop until we make it stop,” Bannon warned. “They’re relentless. They’re in your grill. And they’re never leaving unless you force them to.”
Bannon’s core message is clear: President Trump is not merely managing a bureaucracy; he’s at war with it. And that war must be fought not only legislatively—but aggressively and constitutionally—from the Oval Office.
Executive Action and the Arch of History
Bannon credits President Trump for pushing through bold economic moves—slashing red tape, reigniting energy production, and fighting for American manufacturing. He notes that Trump personally whipped votes into the early hours of the morning to push the economic bill through Congress. “2:30 a.m.—still on the phone,” Bannon marveled. “This is leadership.” He believes this legislation will become the signature of Trump’s second term, much like the 2017 tax cuts were during his first.
Referencing the economic “nirvana” of late 2019—3.4% growth, low inflation, rising blue-collar wages—Bannon draws a straight line between the America First economic revival and Trump’s governing philosophy. But he’s quick to note that this time, the stakes are even higher.
The Judiciary: Obstruction or Opportunity?
Much of Bannon’s ire is directed at the judiciary. He referenced how activist judges immediately attempt to block Trump’s policies—from immigration enforcement to executive spending restraint—granting legal standing to “illegal alien invaders” and tying the President’s hands.
His response? “Push it to the Supreme Court. Push it to the top. Let them rule.” Citing Vought’s theory of legal confrontation, Bannon sees value in bold executive action precisely because it draws fire. “Let them challenge it. Let them try to stop the President from defending American sovereignty on the record.”
A Call to the Base: Change the Arc of History
Bannon sees the MAGA movement not just as a political coalition, but as a force reshaping the course of Western history. “You’ve changed the arc of history,” he told his audience. “We are fighting for control of the greatest country in the history of mankind.”
He said on Thursday that he doesn’t believe this is the end of the American experiment—it’s a new beginning, forged in defiance, shaped by courage, and led by a President who, in Bannon’s view, must govern with grit, not permission.
Bottom Line:
For Bannon, this Big Beautiful Bill isn’t just about economics—it’s about power. And his message to Trump is simple: don’t wait for approval. Use it. Fight.