Trump Ally Steve Bannon Says Biden Withdrawl Could Upend GOP Campaign, Describes First Debate As 'Pyrrhic Victory' For Ex-President

In a recent interview, Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, suggested that President Joe Biden‘s debate performance might lead to his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, potentially altering the election’s dynamics.

What Happened: Bannon, who is set to begin a four-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress, made the prediction in a Sunday interview, reported The Washington Post. Bannon, who managed the final months of Trump’s 2016 campaign, believes that Biden’s debate performance could prompt a significant drop in his poll numbers, leading to his withdrawal from the race.

He suggested that this would create a chaotic situation for the Republicans, who have been banking on unseating the incumbent president.

"Trump's Thursday was a Pyrrhic victory. … You're going to take out a guy you know you can beat and beat badly, and we're going to have a wild card," said Bannon.

He further speculated that the fallout from the debate with similar discussions around impeaching the incumbent president and it could lead to a Republican landslide in the November elections, with 340 electoral college votes in the presidential race, 53 or 54 Senate seats, and half a dozen House seats.

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Why It Matters: Bannon’s prediction comes on the heels of a flash poll that showed Biden’s approval rating after the first debate was a mere 32%, with 63% of Democrats disapproving of his performance. The poll results have sparked discussions about the possibility of Biden being replaced as the Democratic party’s candidate.

Bannon’s prediction also follows recent events in his own life. The Supreme Court rejected his final appeal to avoid prison, and he is set to report to a federal prison in Danbury, Conn., by July 1. Despite his impending incarceration, Bannon remains confident that he will continue to influence the political landscape from behind bars.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal