Steve Bannon Warns of a Gathering Storm as U.S. Strikes Iran
“This Could Be the Opening Act of World War III”
Just hours before President Trump announced a sweeping airstrike campaign against Iran, former White House strategist Steve Bannon issued a grim warning that shook listeners of his War Room Pandemic podcast.
Speaking with a palpable sense of urgency, Bannon stated that the world was teetering closer to global war and that events were moving too quickly for the public—or leaders—to comprehend.
“I’m not trying to alarm anyone unnecessarily,” Bannon said. “But based on credible information I’ve received, the operation is already underway.
What we’re looking at this weekend might very well be the early stages of World War III. Anyone denying this is ignoring how fast the dynamics of kinetic warfare are evolving.”
Bannon’s warning came to a head just before 8 p.m. Eastern Time when former President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he had authorized a massive military campaign targeting three of Iran’s primary nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The assault featured precision strikes from 30 Tomahawk missiles and the deployment of six massive GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs, making it one of the largest direct attacks by the U.S. against Iran to date.
In a post-strike statement, Trump called the mission a “spectacular military success”, claiming the attacks had “completely and totally obliterated” the facilities. He also issued a warning to Tehran that any further aggression would be met with even more force.
Although Bannon has long been a staunch supporter of Trump, he revealed that he had tried to dissuade the former president from drawing the U.S. too deeply into Israel’s conflict with Iran. At a lunch meeting at the White House just days prior, Bannon argued against a direct American attack, urging the administration to focus more sharply on domestic priorities.
“The party is on,” Bannon said during his podcast, invoking the famous line from the 1977 World War II film A Bridge Too Far. “That line doesn’t just apply to movies anymore.
It applies to the situation we’re watching now. This is not some routine military excursion. This is the opening chapter of something that could spiral far beyond the Middle East.”
He also offered sharp criticism of Trump’s former press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, and others calling for a quick military campaign. In one memorable line, Bannon mocked the “one swoop of a jet” mentality, warning that such thinking dangerously oversimplifies the nature of war.
“What we’re doing right now can’t be wrapped up with a headline or resolved in a day,” he asserted. “We’re talking about a multi-dimensional conflict that will test the resolve of nations, and the strength of our institutions. Meanwhile, we’ve got millions of illegal aliens crossing our borders every year. As serious as the threat from Iran might be, the number one priority for the United States has to be defending its own sovereignty and controlling its borders. The true ‘front line’ of this global crisis is right here at home.”
Bannon didn’t stop there. He openly questioned who would bear the cost of this new chapter in the Middle East and expressed skepticism about long-standing assumptions regarding America’s role and financial commitment to regional conflicts.
“Are the Israelis paying for this campaign?” he asked pointedly. “Are any of our allies sharing the cost? No.
The American taxpayers are footing the bill for this war. What we’re seeing is a massive shift of resources and focus that ultimately puts the people of this country in the crosshairs, both figuratively and literally.”
While Trump’s decisive action earned him accolades from some quarters, a growing chorus of critics emerged within Washington. At least one prominent House Republican warned that the strike might be unconstitutional, suggesting that bypassing Congress to launch an offensive could spark a bitter legal and political battle at home.
Conclusion:
Steve Bannon’s warning captures the deep tensions and divisions within American politics as the nation enters a new chapter of military engagement. Even within Trump’s inner circle, questions about the long-term implications of this campaign are surfacing. What some hail as a bold assertion of American strength, others fear may be the first spark of a much larger, potentially global crisis.
With skepticism rising in Washington, a growing number of leaders and commentators ask if the United States can balance its role as a global military force with its responsibilities to its own people and borders. As the bombs continue to fall and tensions mount, one thing is certain: the world is watching, and the cost of miscalculation has never been higher.