Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) ignited fresh speculation about the 2028 presidential field after telling Tucker Carlson that Steve Bannon plans to run for the White House on a wealth tax platform likened to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) economic agenda.
Gaetz made the remarks during a December 22 episode of Carlson’s podcast, describing what he said were Bannon’s intentions should he seek the presidency after President Donald Trump’s current term.
Gaetz said, “I love Steve Bannon… So I don’t want our last discussion to come across as a criticism of Steve, but he’s going to run for president… on the straight Elizabeth Warren wealth tax, economic agenda.”
Carlson replied, “Actually?” to which Gaetz responded, “Yeah, he’s going to run for president and say, ‘Take the money from those people who have too much of it, the Bill Ackmans of the world, and I want to give it to you.’”
BREAKING: Matt Gaetz tells Tucker Carlson that Steve Bannon will run for President of the United States on a “Elizabeth Warren wealth tax economic agenda”
“Take the money from those people who have way too much of it, the Bill Ackman’s of the world, and I wanna give it to you.” pic.twitter.com/IhhS4IGwQD
— VISH BURRA 🏴☠️ (@VishBurra) December 23, 2025
The exchange circulated widely online, drawing millions of views and renewed attention to Bannon’s long-standing refusal to rule out a 2028 bid, according to social media clips posted on X.
Bannon, a former White House adviser to Trump, has repeatedly declined to rule out a future campaign. He has told reporters that he is focused on advancing what he calls a populist national agenda and supporting Trump, while describing questions about his own candidacy as not appropriate.
Allies and critics alike have noted that Bannon has been floated in informal straw polls and discussions among activists, while people close to him have said he has privately discussed the idea of running.
📊@CPAC STRAW POLL RESULT: When asked who they think should be the 2028 Republican nominee for president, CPAC attendees chose Vice President @JDVance.
JD Vance – 61%
Steve Bannon – 12%
Ron DeSantis – 7%
Marco Rubio – 3%
Elise Stefanik – 3%
Donald Trump Jr. – 2%
Tulsi Gabbard -… pic.twitter.com/rrefVnuzgN— CPAC (@CPAC) February 22, 2025
The comments from Gaetz come as early maneuvering accelerates around the post-Trump landscape.
Vice President JD Vance is widely viewed as the leading contender for the Republican nomination in 2028, given historical patterns that often favor sitting vice presidents.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in 2024, is also frequently mentioned as a possible future candidate, as is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who previously sought the presidency in the 2016 primary.
Other figures linked to populist politics have also fueled speculation.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has declined to rule out a 2028 run, saying on podcasts that she is focused on “fixing problems” while warning that she would not support any candidate who abandons an “America First” vision, according to reporting by The Dallas Express.
Separately, commentator Alex Jones has publicly backed a hypothetical Robert F. Kennedy Jr.–Tulsi Gabbard ticket, even while acknowledging Vance’s status as the presumptive heir to Trump’s movement, also reported by DX.
With the election more than three years away, none of the potential contenders has formally announced a campaign. Still, Gaetz’s remarks added a new dimension to the conversation by suggesting that Bannon could run on an explicitly redistributive economic message, a move that would test fault lines within the party as the race to define the post-Trump era begins.
The Dallas Express reached out to Bannon for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
