WarRoom host and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon warned Republicans could lose up to 40 House seats in the midterm elections over the handling of the Epstein files.

“You’re going to lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement. If we lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement right now,” Bannon said.

“We’re gonna lose 40 seats in ’26,” he warned.

More from The Hill:

That shift could trigger an upset for Republican lawmakers who managed to obtain a majority in both chambers last November. Democrats have been plotting to retake House and Senate seats in the next election cycle after their sweeping 2024 losses — and turmoil over the Epstein case and backlash from sweeping cuts in the GOP’s recently-signed “big, beautiful” spending package could offer the left some fodder for their 2026 messaging.

“They don’t even have to steal it, which they’re gonna try to do in ’28, because they’re gonna sit there and they go … they’ve disheartened the hardest core populist nation that’s always been who governs us,” Bannon added.

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His criticism comes after the Justice Department (DOJ) and FBI released a memo on Monday concluding in its investigation that Epstein did not keep a client list and confirming that he died by suicide in his New York City jail cell in 2019.

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The Justice Department, especially Attorney General Pam Bondi, has faced immense criticism for its handling of the Epstein files.

In a Truth Social post, President Trump seemed confused by the heat Bondi is facing over the handling of the files, saying she’s doing a “fantastic job.”

President Trump Posts LONG Rant On TruthSocial Asking Why Everyone Is Turning On Him Over Pam Bondi

In response to the Epstein files criticism, Bannon called for a deeper overhaul of the FBI and Justice Department.

The New York Post explained:

“Yes, you could have Dan Bongino or Pam Bondi resign and make a scene, but that just creates turmoil,” he said at the Turning Point USA summit.

“What we need right now is not to upend DOJ or FBI. We need to get to the bottom of Epstein. Because Epstein is the key that picks the lock.”

Right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson sensationally suggested on his podcast last week that the current DOJ under Pam Bondi “is covering up crimes, very serious crimes by their own description.”

Kirk, meanwhile, said Bondi is humiliating MAGA influencers with the run-around.

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“Pam Bondi brought in some of our best influencers, Jack Posobiec, Libs of TikTok,” Kirk complained during his discussion with Kelly Friday.

“And she gave them these [Epstein] binders. And she humiliated them.”

Amid the deluge of backlash, Bondi has largely remained quiet in the public eye.

 

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