Steve Bannon has turned against Vice President JD Vance, calling him “not tough enough” to lead the MAGA movement as a devastating civil war fractures Trump’s coalition heading into the 2028 presidential race.
Bannon Breaks with Trump’s Chosen Successor
Steve Bannon has launched a direct assault on Vice President JD Vance’s leadership credentials, marking a dramatic split within Trump’s inner circle. The former White House strategist dismissed Vance as lacking the toughness necessary to carry the America First agenda forward. This attack comes as Republican leaders increasingly coalesce behind Vance as Trump’s natural successor for 2028, creating a dangerous schism that threatens the movement’s cohesion.
The political circle around Steve Bannon is turning on JD Vance, with Bannon media executive Grace Chong amplifying attacks, including a reshared video of white nationalist Nick Fuentes criticizing Vance over immigration and Israel. pic.twitter.com/rD8vsfiIeQ
— Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) December 29, 2025
Turning Point USA Backs Vance After Kirk’s Death
Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September 2025, Turning Point USA has officially thrown its support behind Vance’s emerging 2028 candidacy. Kirk’s widow, Erika, and the organization’s leadership view Vance as the unifying figure needed to prevent a chaotic Republican primary. The endorsement carries significant weight, given Turning Point’s influence among young conservatives and its role in mobilizing Trump’s base across college campuses nationwide.
I predicted that a Bannon-Groyper alliance was the real threat to Vance.
Fuentes says bringing down Vance is his main priority. Him and Bannon are now praising each other.
The 2028 primary is taking shape. pic.twitter.com/aKFE6IRm8v
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) September 9, 2025
AmericaFest Becomes Battleground for Conservative Factions
The annual AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix exploded into open warfare between competing conservative factions. Ben Shapiro launched scathing attacks against Bannon and Tucker Carlson, calling them “frauds” and “grifters” for platforming controversial figures like Nick Fuentes. Bannon fired back by labeling Shapiro “a cancer” on the movement. Meanwhile, Vance delivered a unity message declaring “Every American is invited” while defending his family against racist attacks targeting his wife’s Indian heritage.
Steve Bannon’s War Room CFO Grace Chong deleted her tweet after JD Vance called her a “mouth breathing imbecile” for criticizing his failure to show up in the Senate for votes.
Pretty harsh words from the GOP vice president-elect toward a beloved member of the War Room posse. pic.twitter.com/vxMJ1uj2bF
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 19, 2024
Trump’s Term Limits Create Succession Battle
President Trump’s constitutional inability to seek a third term has intensified the 2028 succession fight. While Trump has soft-endorsed a Vance-Rubio ticket, Bannon continues pushing for an unconstitutional third Trump term with his “Trump 2028” messaging. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz have confirmed Trump understands he cannot run again, leaving Bannon increasingly isolated in his fantasy scenarios.
Some of the Vance Hate is coming from Bannon affiliated people. Musk supports Vance and hates Bannon.
Bannon in turn was actively advising Epstein and is a fanatical Zionist. The Fuentes crowd will latch onto anti Vance points w/o understanding power dynamics pic.twitter.com/DcqARnLFhu
— Mayor XmasDog (@MayorHonkdog) December 28, 2025
Movement Unity at Risk as Extremism Divides Base
The internal warfare threatens to fragment the MAGA coalition into irreconcilable factions. Young conservatives attending AmericaFest expressed cautious optimism about Vance’s inclusive messaging while remaining wary of complete movement collapse. The debates over platforming antisemitic figures and maintaining party purity versus broad appeal have created fault lines that could persist well beyond 2028. This fracturing comes at a critical time when conservatives need unity to advance key priorities like border security and immigration reform.
Sources:
Steve Bannon Turns Against JD Vance
Steve Bannon JD Vance MAGA Trump
Republican Leaders Coalescing Behind Vance
Turning Point USA Feuding JD Vance Ben Shapiro Tucker Carlson