Steve Bannon blasts Trump over White House dinner with 'demon' tech giants: 'That was not a good day'

Steve Bannon criticized Trump’s dinner with Silicon Valley leaders, saying it weakened his populist message and empowered corporate elites
UPDATED SEP 7, 2025
Steve Bannon criticized Donald Trump for hosting tech leaders at the White House on his ‘War Room’ podcast (@Bannons_WarRoom/X, Getty Images)
Steve Bannon criticized Donald Trump for hosting tech leaders at the White House on his ‘War Room’ podcast (@Bannons_WarRoom/X, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Former White House strategist Steve Bannon launched a fiery critique of President Donald Trump on Saturday, September 6, condemning his decision to host a private dinner with tech industry giants at the White House earlier in the week.

Speaking on his 'War Room' podcast, Bannon said the gathering sent the wrong message and warned that aligning with corporate elites was harmful to Trump’s political standing.



 

Steve Bannon warns Trump over dinner with tech moguls

“That was not a good day, Mr President,” Bannon declared. “We’re trying to break up Google. We’re trying to break up Facebook. We’re trying to break up Microsoft — and hell, throw Walmart in there too. The concentration of corporate power with government power is what is destroying this country.”

The dinner, held Thursday evening, brought together some of the most powerful names in technology, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. The event was part of Trump’s outreach to industry leaders to discuss innovation, jobs, and investment in the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as (L-4th L) White House “AI and Crypto Czar” David Scahs, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and first lady Melania Trump listen during a dinner at the State Dining Room of the White House on September 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosted tech and business leaders for dinner after they joined the first lady’s meeting of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education Task Force at the White House this afternoon. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Donald Trump addresses guests as David Sacks, Mark Zuckerberg, and Melania Trump attend a White House dinner in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025 (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

While Republican lawmakers in attendance praised the evening, Bannon dismissed it as a political blunder. He accused Trump’s inner circle of encouraging him to embrace the very figures populist conservatives often describe as monopolistic “demons” who threaten free markets and civil liberties.

Steve Bannon praises RFK Jr's Senate testimony

Steve Bannon contrasted the dinner with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s high-profile testimony before the Senate Finance Committee earlier in the week. RFK Jr, who faced tough questioning from both parties, was described by Bannon as “magnificent” for standing his ground against lawmakers and corporate influence.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr appears before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 4, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr appears before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 4, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Look at Bobby Kennedy Thursday,” Bannon said. “A magnificent performance as he stood in the breach and took incoming for three hours and called these folks out. And what happened afterwards? The people in the White House around President Trump thought it was a good thing to have 50 demons around the table, including Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Google.”

Gavin Newsom mocks GOP over ‘Rose Garden Club’

Republican lawmakers took to social media this week to highlight the grand opening of what they dubbed the “Rose Garden Club,” as he hosted them for a dinner on Friday. 

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 05: A place setting is seen for as President Donald Trump hosts a dinner in the Rose Garden at the White House on September 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosted members of Congress for his first event in the Rose Garden since replacing the grass with tiles. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A place setting is seen as President Donald Trump hosts a dinner in the Rose Garden at the White House on September 5, 2025, in Washington, DC (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA) praised the gathering in a post, describing it as “epic” and thanking Trump for his “hospitality & visionary leadership.”



 

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) blasted Republicans for their display, contrasting it with the nation’s financial climate. Retweeting Johnson’s post, Newsom wrote, “Our economy is in a downward spiral, but don’t worry — the @GOP are spending their time cheersing Diet Cokes at a new, exclusive ‘club.’”

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