Bannon on Mike Johnson: ‘Time for next man up’

Steve Bannon, an ex-adviser to former President Trump who has become a conservative pundit, suggested Wednesday it was time for Republicans to ditch House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)

“Johnson’s not savable,” Bannon said on his “War Room” podcast. “It’s not worth it. It’s time to look for the next man up because this is gonna continue.”

Bannon, an influential voice among Republicans loyal to Trump, also said it was “nothing personal” in reference to attacks he and other conservatives leveled against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was ousted by his caucus last year.

“But he was a bad guy, in a lot of respects, you couldn’t trust him,” Bannon said of McCarthy. “But it was the debt deal, I told him on the debt deal, ‘Dude, you’re like a deer that’s been shot.’ War Room is eventually gonna get ya.”

Some Republicans have suggested Johnson, like McCarthy, should face a motion to vacate his speakership over deals he has struck with Democrats on spending measures.

Bannon called Johnson “only marginally better” than McCarthy, noting “he’s put up some fights.”

“If you didn’t keep the pressure up on these guys, do you think they’d be doing this stuff? Uh, no, they would not,” he said.