How Steve Bannon and Donald Trump Rode the Honey Badger Into the White House – New York Times
Green reminds us that it wasnt long ago that both men were looked at as political jokes, and not even bad ones. When Ivanka Trump told Rupert Murdoch over lunch that her father intended to run for president, the media baron replied, without even looking up from his soup: Hes not running for president.
As for Bannon, when Green first met him in 2011 he came across as a political grifter seeking to profit from the latest trend. Later, as Bannon took the reins of the Trump campaign, he was seen by Beltway Republicans as an Internet-era update of the Slim Pickens character in Dr. Strangelove who rides the bomb like a rodeo bull, whoopin and hollerin all the way to nuclear annihilation.
But whatever the pair lacked in conventional political experience, they made up for with other gifts. Both understood showmanship: slogans, narrative, put-downs and especially conflict. They knew the value of rage and outrage alike the first as fuel for a movement; the second as the indispensable foil for that movement.
They also grasped that much that was supposed to matter in politics no longer did detailed policy papers, for instance, or personal decorum. Trump, Green writes, figured out that the norms forbidding such behavior were not inviolable rules that carried a harsh penalty but rather sentiments of a nobler, bygone era, gossamer-thin and needlessly adhered to by politicians who lacked his willingness to defy them.
Thats why Trumps birtherism the support he gave to the lie that Barack Obama was born abroad never disqualified his candidacy, even as it helped him forge a powerful connection with party activists. Its a tactic he would repeat straight through the end of the campaign, when he took to denouncing international banks in terms that shaded into anti-Semitism.
Darkness is good, was Bannons advice for dealing with criticism from groups such as the Anti-Defamation League. Dont let up. At another moment, when the campaign feared House Speaker Paul Ryan would try to steal the G.O.P. nomination from Trump, Bannon threatened to rally Breitbarts army. Pepes gonna stomp their ass, he said Pepe the Frog being the alt-rights white-supremacist cartoon mascot on Twitter.
Green is consistently interesting on the subject of Trump. But the real value of Devils Bargain is the story it tells about Bannon, some of which has been previously reported (not least by Green himself) but never so well synthesized or explained as it is here. The product of a working-class family and a Catholic military high school in Richmond, Va., he was taught from an early age that the defining moment in Western civilization occurred in 1492 not with Columbuss discovery of the New World, mind, but with Ferdinand and Isabellas Reconquista from the Moors of the Iberian Peninsula.
The lesson was, heres where Muslims could have taken over the world, recalled one of Bannons classmates. And here was the great stand where they were stopped.
If that was an early hint of Bannons political vision (and now a staple of Trumps foreign policy speeches), other lessons suggested the means he would employ to achieve that vision. On Wall Street in the mid-1980s, he came to admire Michael Milken, the so-called junk bond king, who showed how a band of outsiders could set about laying siege to a comfortable, fattened and vulnerable establishment.
Later, while running an Internet business in Hong Kong, Bannon discovered the underworld of online gamers; intense young men who disappeared for days or even weeks at a time in alternate realities. One of those alternate realities was World of Warcraft, in which millions of people were digitally transformed into secret soldiers waging titanic battles in unseen worlds against mythical enemies.
Bannon seemed to intuit that this digital world could be recreated for his political purposes, by designing an apocalyptic narrative of righteous warriors waging an end-of-days battle by all necessary means against assorted enemies: jihadists, progressives, Acela-corridor Republicans, the Clintons. Republican political operatives had spent the Obama years wondering about the missing white voters who had failed to show up for John McCain and Mitt Romney. Turns out, they (or others like them) were online, and Bannon whose own fantasies were suggested by a portrait he had of himself in his office, dressed as Napoleon was proposing to supply this army with the necessary ammunition.
Much of it would come from the bile factory at Breitbart News. Another part would be supplied by the Government Accountability Institute, a Tallahassee, Fla.-based nonprofit that mined the deep Web and dug up the dirt on the Clinton Foundation for Peter Schweizers 2015 blockbuster Clinton Cash. There was also a data-analytics firm, Cambridge Analytica, an offshoot of a British company that advised foreign governments and militaries on influencing elections and public opinion using the tools of psychological warfare.
What all of this added up to was a kind of alt-G.O.P. agile and indifferent to norms and boundaries that could supply the Trump campaign with everything it needed to win. Bannon has described himself as a Leninist for wanting to destroy the state. Whether he will achieve that is doubtful, but he seems to share Lenins genius for building a secret party with radical designs, ready to pounce at the historically opportune time.
Now it has succeeded. To what end? As an electoral gambit, the honey badger approach was a good bet: Trump is president not in spite of the wretched things he said about Mexicans, women, John McCain, Megyn Kelly and so on, but because he said them. He sold his shamelessness as fearlessness and his charlatanism as charisma, and people believed. Lord save us when Democrats alight on a similar candidate.
As a governing principle, however, honeybadgerism has been less of a success. As an article in Mental Floss noted, honey badgers may be smart, resilient and incredibly tough, but theyre also lazy about housekeeping, mean and skunk-like, meaning they possess an anal gland that releases a suffocating smell when in distress.
Readers can draw their own parallels, but thats usually not a formula for political success. Bannon and his acolytes should beware: Sooner or later, theyll outstay their welcome.
Bret Stephens is an Op-Ed columnist for The Times.
Read the rest here:
How Steve Bannon and Donald Trump Rode the Honey Badger Into the White House - New York Times
- Ellen DeGeneres: I moved to the UK because of Donald Trump - BBC - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Was Diagnosed with Chronic Veinous Insufficiency. Heres What It Means for His Health - Biography: Historical and Celebrity Profiles - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- President Donald Trump calls on Cleveland Guardians to restore former name - Akron Beacon Journal - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- The Epstein files and Donald Trump - The Economist - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Opinion | Donald Trump is fighting a conspiracy the only way he knows how - The Washington Post - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Underwent Vascular Tests After Swelling In His Legs, Diagnosed With Chronic Venous Insufficiency - Deadline - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Why Donald Trump is facing doubts in the manosphere - CNN - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says those interested in Jeffrey Epstein inquiry are bad people - The Guardian - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Responds When Asked If He Was Told His Name Was in Epstein Files - Newsweek - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Gavin Newsom's Warning to Donald Trump Over Plan for Texas Republicans - Newsweek - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Rosie O'Donnell Scoffs At Donald Trump's Threat To Revoke Her Citizenship - Vanity Fair - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Buckingham Palace Announces Dates of Donald Trump's State Visit to the U.K. and It's Happening Soon - People.com - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Butler one year later: Revisiting the historic assassination attempt against Donald Trump - Fox News - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Donald Trump announces 30% tariffs on goods from the EU and Mexico - The Guardian - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- President Donald Trump Broke His Social Security Vow -- and It May Be the Best Thing That's Happened to Retirees - Yahoo Finance - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's frustration with Vladimir Putin prompts shift of tone on Ukraine - Financial Times - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Donald Trump, the Club World Cup final, and how security protect VIPs at major sporting events - The Athletic - The New York Times - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Donald Trump and the Scots: A not-so special relationship - BBC - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Does Donald Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? We asked 5 experts - The Conversation - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Mary Trump Issues Warning on Long-Term Impact of Donald Trump Move - Newsweek - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Donald Trump threatens to impose 50% tariff on Brazil - Financial Times - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Is the Hispanic Red Wave for Donald Trump Starting to Crash? - The New Yorker - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- President Donald Trump's approval rating by state as of July 2025 - Yahoo - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Sending More Weapons to Ukraine: What We Know - Newsweek - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- It Appears Elon Musk REALLY Pissed Off Donald Trump This Time, And I'm Convinced They're DUNZO - Yahoo - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Wants to Add His Face to Mount Rushmore. Here's What Its Former Keeper Says About 'the Reality of the Rock' - Yahoo News - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Map Shows Donald Trump's Approval Rating in Every State on 4th of July - Newsweek - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Keir Starmer says good relationship with Donald Trump based on shared family values - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Heads Back to the House: What's Next? - Newsweek - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- The play-by-play of the 24-hour war of words between Elon Musk and Donald Trump - Business Insider - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump Says Hes Found a Group of Very Wealthy People to Buy TikTok and Keep App in U.S. - Variety - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Says Group Of "Very Wealthy People" Looking To Acquire TikTok - Deadline - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Confirmed to Return with Speaking Part in Disney World's Hall of Presidents - WDWMagic - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Warns NY Mayor Candidate Zohran Mamdani: 'Do the Right Thing' - Newsweek - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says 'very wealthy group' has agreed to buy TikTok in the US - Sky News - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Orchestrated grovel: critics react to Europes attempts to tame Donald Trump - The Guardian - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Is About to Confront the Real Reason the US Keeps Starting Wars - Politico - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Cuts Off Trade Talks With Canada, 'Effective Immediately' - Newsweek - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Jen's Version: Are we really going to pretend Donald Trump is concerned about classified material? - MSNBC News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Makes Major Change to Mortgages: What to Know - Newsweek - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- 'It's possible' Putin will invade more than Ukraine, says Donald Trump - Euronews.com - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Withdrawn - Newsweek - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Dear heads of state: Donald Trump wont love you back. He may be the worst boyfriend the world has ever seen - The Guardian - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Marjorie Taylor Greene Flips Out Over 'Dirty Rumors' About Her And Donald Trump - Yahoo - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- 'How angry Donald Trump is': Social media reacts to Trump dropping F-bomb live on TV - Times of India - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- President Donald Trump: The strikes were a spectacular military success - Fox News - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump Bombs Iran, and America Waits - The New Yorker - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Bombing Iran, Donald Trump is triggering a tragedy that Thucydides foretold long ago - The Forward - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Is Donald Trump an Antagonist or Champion of the Gay Community? - The New York Times - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump to Address Nation After Attacking Iran Nuclear Sites - Newsweek - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump says US has attacked three Iranian nuclear sites and totally obliterated them - The Guardian - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Juventus meet Donald Trump at the White House as he discusses Iran conflict and transgender women in sport - The New York Times - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Trump denies approving Iran attack plan but will make decision within two weeks | Donald Trump - The Guardian - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's National Park Tip Line Flooded With Angry Messages - Newsweek - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Opinion | What the Godfather of American Conservatism Would Think About Donald Trump - Politico - June 16th, 2025 [June 16th, 2025]
- The quiet truce between Gavin Newsom and Donald Trump is over - CalMatters - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Gavin Newsom Dares Donald Trump to Arrest Him: 'Get It Over With' - Newsweek - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Accused Of Inciting Violence With Chilling New Rhyme - Yahoo News - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Opinion | Donald Trump vs. California (and everywhere else) - The Washington Post - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- 'So much for being nice guy': Donald Trump reignites trade tensions, warns China it has violated tariff d - Times of India - May 30th, 2025 [May 30th, 2025]
- Mike Pence Accuses Donald Trump of Ignoring Constitution - Newsweek - May 30th, 2025 [May 30th, 2025]
- We demanded justice after George Floyds death. Donald Trump made things worse, but we fight on | Al Sharpton - The Guardian - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Posts All-Caps Memorial Day Message Attacking USA Hating Judges And Scum Who Are Trying To Destroy Our Country - Deadline - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- CNN abruptly stopped for breaking news as Donald Trump explodes at reporter over Ukraine question - The Mirror US - May 26th, 2025 [May 26th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is throttling Americas oil industry - The Economist - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump prizes more Gulf investment in the US - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Vows to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs by Up to 80 Percent - Newsweek - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- What is habeas corpus and why might Donald Trump want to suspend it? - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump calls for 20,000 new officers to aid with deportations - BBC - May 11th, 2025 [May 11th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is a bigger threat to UK than terrorists, poll says - politico.eu - May 8th, 2025 [May 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump to announce 'major trade deal' with a big and highly respected nation - Times of India - May 8th, 2025 [May 8th, 2025]
- Donald Trump picks the wrong trade fight with China - The Economist - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump says he will be talking to Australias prime minister about tariffs - The Guardian - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Names His Dream Successor for Pope Francis Ahead of the Papal Conclave - People.com - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Giants say they had no conversations with Donald Trump about Saquon Barkley - NBC Sports - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Donald Trump is proving disastrous for big tech - The Economist - April 30th, 2025 [April 30th, 2025]
- Opinion | Donald Trump Is Selling the White House to the Highest Bidder - The New York Times - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- 'Kicking butt' or 'going too fast'? Donald Trump voters reflect on 100 days - BBC - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump's approval rating takes a hit as he reaches 100 days: New polls - USA Today - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]
- Experts On Russia Say Donald Trump Is Wrong About The War In Ukraine - Forbes - April 27th, 2025 [April 27th, 2025]