Steve Bannon argues that the U.S. should prioritize its own interests over those of Israel amid the escalating conflict.
Steve Bannon, formerly an advisor to President Donald Trump, stated that the U.S. should prioritize its own interests, cautioning that the escalating situation in the Middle East could draw Washington into a war with Iran.
Speaking to the Financial Times on Saturday, Bannon implied that the U.S. and Israel’s interests may diverge during the current crisis.
“They [the Israelis] are Israel First; we need to always be America First,” he stated.
“In Jerusalem they should reflect on the message of Christ: live by the sword, die by the sword.”
When questioned about the possibility of the U.S. being drawn into a conflict with Iran, the former Trump advisor expressed serious concern.
The Israeli military launched a significant attack on Iran early Friday, targeting nuclear and military sites across the country, as well as conducting assassinations of high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists. West Jerusalem claimed these actions were preemptive, aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran responded with a large-scale missile and drone attack on Israel, promising continued strikes as needed. Tehran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, asserting its uranium enrichment is for civilian purposes only.
The Israeli attack followed five rounds of U.S.-Iranian talks on Iran’s nuclear program, which have stalled. Following the attack, Tehran deemed further dialogue with Washington “meaningless.”
President Donald Trump claimed prior knowledge of the Israeli strikes and praised their success, suggesting Tehran was responsible due to its reluctance to negotiate a nuclear deal with the U.S.
“We gave them a chance, and they didn’t take it. They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you’re going to get hit. And there’s more to come. A lot more,” he stated on Friday.