Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that in a second Trump presidency, several former intelligence and Justice Department officials should be concerned because they will be investigated.
Partial transcript as follows:
DONALD TRUMP (MARCH 4, 2023): In 2016, I declared ‘I am your voice.’ Today I add – I am your warrior, I am your justice and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution. I am your retribution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KARL: Some of those who served Trump and crossed him say they’re worried. Stephanie Grisham, who was the communications director, the press secretary, communications director for — Chief of Staff for the First Lady —
BANNON: You’re not talking about people like that. That’s ridiculous.
KARL: She says that she’s worried about being charged with treason.
BANNON: That’s — that’s, that’s absurd. I’m talking about people in positions of authority. For instance Esper—
KARL: Andrew McCabe the
BANNON: 100% he does
KARL: He says he might have to leave the country,
BANNON: He ought to be very worried. He’s definitely going to be investigated. So is Comey. So is Esper. I believe Milley will. People look at what happened in look what happened–
KARL: Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chief — former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
BANNON: Yes, because look at the conver — We don’t know conversations he had outside the military chain of command when he’s chairman of the, the Joint Chiefs, when he talked to the Chinese, when he talked to Nancy Pelosi. We have to investigate all that. If you haven’t done anything, you shouldn’t worry.
KARL: Well they’re worried because, because Trump and you were talking about retribution.
BANNON: It’s not retribution at all. First off,
KARL: Those were his words, not my words, ‘I am your retribution’
BANNON: And what he says by retribution, he said, like he said last night on the debate stage, his retribution is a very successful, more successful second term. What we’re saying is we want justice. We want to have full investigations, and then if criminal charges come up, then criminal charges come up.
KARL: I mean, you made a promise on your shows, you said that the Attorney General will be in prison.
BANNON: 100%
KARL: So you’re not just talking about investigations. Is Bill Barr on the retribution list?
BANNON: I think Bill Barr has to be investigated, not retribution. You keep talking retribution, no–
KARL: Because Trump says retribution, you said retribution
BANNON: It’s justice, it’s justice
KARL: So Bill Barr needs to be investigated. Bill Barr, Bill Barr needs to go prison with Merrick Garland?
BANNON: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. We have to see. I’m not gonna prejudge somebody. We have to see-
KARL: So Bill Barr could be going to prison? As part of retribution –
BANNON: That’s not retribution. It’s justice.
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