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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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Steve Bannon suggested to a guest on his show Friday that President Donald Trump was following the playbook of his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton, after the president said the U.S. would come to the rescue of protesters in Iran.
Speaking to Todd Wood Friday morning, Bannon said America had its own issues to deal with and should not be getting involved in other nations’ issues.
"Aren’t people teasing that Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton must’ve somehow gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve celebration, because the president coming out saying ‘Hey, we’re locked and loaded’, isn’t that straight out of the Samantha Power and Hilary Clinton playbook?" Bannon suggested to Wood on his War Room show.
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Why It Matters
As a longtime MAGA and America-first advocate, Bannon has been a leading voice in urging Trump not to get involved in foreign conflicts, alongside lawmakers including Marjorie Taylor Greene. The president’s MAGA base has been somewhat conflicted over his actions, having seen Trump take a far bigger role in foreign conflicts than he promised during the 2024 election campaign.
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What To Know
Bannon has warned Trump about getting involved with Iran in the past, saying in June that the president should leave Israel to deal with its neighbor and not get involved, around the time the U.S. carried out strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran.
His question Friday reflected a similar message, that the protests in Iran should be left to play out without American intervention, which many conservatives have wanted to avoid in recent years following the actions of the Bush administration in the early 2000s.
Bannon’s comparison to the Clinton/Power playbook is a reference to President Barack Obama’s Secretary of State and senior adviser, who both advocated for intervention in Libya to help protesters in 2011, during the uprising at the time.
For Bannon, Taylor Greene, and others in the America First camp, Trump’s interest in getting the U.S. involved in foreign issues is a problem, particularly when they see so many domestic issues as needing attention.
Bannon said Friday that "Muslims have taken over New York City," referring to the opposition to new Mayor Zohran Mamdani. He also referenced the ongoing fraud allegations regarding Somalis in Minnesota, and what he viewed as the "Islamic takeover of Texas."
The president seems to have been keen to show his, and America’s, dominance on the world stage still exists. Over the first year of his second term, he has talked about ending at least eight conflicts, the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas seen as perhaps his biggest achievement.
His administration has also carried out deadly strikes—in the Caribbean and Pacific against alleged drug traffickers out of Venezuela, and in Nigeria against alleged extremists targeting Christians. The former, ongoing operation in and around Venezuela has also caused concern among MAGA Republicans.
Why Are There Demonstrations in Iran?
Trump’s message that the U.S. was ready to assist protesters in Iran stems from growing unrest in the Middle Eastern country over its failing economy.
In recent days, the protests have spread to cities across the country, Iranian forces clashing with citizens who have also been calling out the country’s theocracy. Some of those clashes have turned deadly, with fatalities reported on both sides.
Did Iran Attack the United States?
No, Iran has not attacked the U.S, but officials have said over the past week that the country is effectively at war with the U.S., Europe and Israel. The current regime in Tehran has always regarded the U.S. as an enemy, branding it the Great Satan.
Threats have also been passed back-and-forth between Iranian officials and those in the U.S. around a potential conflict.
Why is Iran's Economy Collapsing?
At the heart of the issue is the soaring cost of living in Iran, not helped by the Iranian rial currency dropping rapidly against the U.S. Dollar. $1 now costs roughly 1.4 million rials. This was the main catalyst for the protests.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, posting on Truth Social Friday: "If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
**Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, on X Friday: "**Iranians, through dialogue and interaction with one another to resolve their problems, will not permit any form of foreign interference."
What Happens Next
The U.S. has not taken any direct action in Iran yet in 2026, with the president needing to balance U.S. interests with those of key allies as he weighs whether to change that.
Clarification: 1/2/26, 4:47 p.m. ET: This headline has been updated for clarity regarding Bannon's remarks.
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