Steve Bannon criticized President Trump’s warning to intervene in Iran, saying the rhetoric echoed Hillary Clinton and Samantha Power. Bannon urged continued sanctions and predicted economic collapse could fuel regime change. Trump posted that the U.S. would “rescue” demonstrators if Iran "shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters," sparking criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Recent protests reportedly led to at least 29 detentions, three deaths and 17 injuries.
Bannon: Trump’s Iran Warning Mirrors Clinton’s Playbook, Urges Tougher Sanctions
Bannon says Trump’s Iran threat echoes Hillary Clinton’s playbook
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon on Friday criticized President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States might intervene if Iran suppresses anti-government demonstrations, saying the language echoed tactics once associated with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Samantha Power.
On his podcast War Room with CDM Editor-in-Chief Todd Wood, Bannon suggested the president’s remarks sounded borrowed from a Clinton-era script. He asked rhetorically whether Clinton and Power had somehow influenced the president’s phrasing at Mar-a-Lago.
“Aren't people teasing right now that [former United Nations Ambassador] Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton must somehow have gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve celebration because the president coming out today saying, 'Hey, we're locked and loaded,' isn't that straight from the Samantha Power and Hillary Clinton playbook?”
Power served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2017 and later led the U.S. Agency for International Development from 2021 to 2025.
Bannon urged the administration to maintain pressure on Tehran through continued sanctions and to allow economic strain to increase on the Iranian leadership. He predicted economic collapse could accelerate domestic opposition and eventual regime change, comparing potential unrest to the 1979 overthrow of the shah.
“The economy will crash, and the Persian people will overthrow these guys just like they overthrew the shah,” Bannon said.
Earlier the same day, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. would “rescue” demonstrators if “Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters.”
Iran has seen some of its largest demonstrations since 2022. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that at least 29 demonstrators had been detained, while the semiofficial Fars News Agency said three protesters were killed and 17 others were hurt during an attack on a police station.
Not all Republicans supported Trump’s approach. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) criticized the president’s threat as inconsistent with 2024 campaign promises, urging a focus on domestic priorities and fiscal accountability. Greene, who has publicly split with Trump, said the emphasis should remain on protecting Americans’ freedoms and resources at home.
The comparison to Clinton stems from comments she made in earlier campaigns. In 2008, she warned the United States could “totally obliterate” Iran if it launched a nuclear strike on Israel, a phrase that drew criticism at the time. In later remarks during her most recent presidential bid, Clinton said she would not hesitate to take military action should Iran pursue a nuclear weapon — but framed such action as a last resort after exhausting peaceful options.
This episode highlights ongoing debate within U.S. politics over the language and strategy used toward Tehran: whether public threats of intervention deter aggression or risk escalation and domestic political backlash.
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