Steve Bannon claimed Monday that the Trump administration permitted Fox News host Maria Bartiromo to carry out a “sanctioned hit” on FBI Director Kash Patel during her Sunday morning interview program.
Mediaite reports Bannon made the accusation on his “War Room” podcast on Rumble while replaying a clip from Bartiromo’s “Sunday Morning Futures” show in which she pressed Patel on whether he had evidence to support President Trump’s repeated assertions that the 2020 election was rigged.
“Absolutely,” Patel replied, before launching into an extended defense and declaring, “We are not going to take this and have not taken this lying down.”
Bannon described the exchange as orchestrated and suggested it was intended to pressure Patel and the FBI.
“Maria Bartiromo, that was a sanctioned hit yesterday on Kash,” Bannon said. “I think somebody wants to know when Kash and the FBI are really going to start to ramp up here.”
BANNON: Maria Bartiromo pulled a "sanctioned hit" on Kash Patel yesterday. I think somebody wants to know when Kash and the FBI are really going to start to ramp up here. pic.twitter.com/r586xdVbg6
— Bannon’s WarRoom (@Bannons_WarRoom) April 20, 2026
He drew a parallel to a March Senate hearing in which Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) sharply questioned then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shortly before Trump fired her.
The confrontation occurred as Patel, a longtime Trump ally and former congressman, leads the FBI. Bannon’s comments reflect ongoing tensions and expectations within parts of the MAGA base for more aggressive action by the FBI under Patel’s leadership on issues related to the 2020 election and other Trump priorities.
Bartiromo’s interview and Bannon’s subsequent analysis highlight continued divisions and frustrations among Trump allies over the pace of investigations and accountability efforts in the early months of the new administration.