GLAD TO WATCH IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, RACHEL.
>> THANKS, ARI.
GOOD LUCK TO TONIGHT.
>> TONIGHT DONALD TRUMP FACES
MOUNTING PRESSURE.
MOUNTING PRESSURE. A FEDERAL JURY WILL TAKE THIS
WEEKEND OFF BEFORE RESUMING
THESE DELIBERATIONS ON THE FATE
OF HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER PAUL
MANAFORT AND BOB MUELLER NOW
TONIGHT RECOMMENDING JAIL TIME
FOR GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS.
NEW WARNINGS THAT REPUBLICANS
NOT ONLY TRAIL DEMOCRATS BY SIX
POINTS IN POLLING OVER WHO COULD
WIN THE MID-TERMS BUT A BLUE
WAVE COULD MARK AN END TO THE
TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
TRUMP PRESIDENCY. THAT MAY BE MOTIVATING FOR MANY
LIBERAL VOTERS.
LIBERAL VOTERS. TAKE THIS NEW VIDEO THAT’S
AIMING TO RILE UP CONSERVATIVE
TURNOUT BY ARGUING THIS IS NOW A
WAR FOR THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
IT COMES FROM A MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR CAMPAIGN BY FORMER TRUMP
CAMPAIGN CHAIR STEVE BANNON
RETURNING FROM EXILE TO HELP
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WHETHER THEY WANT HIS HELP OR
NOT.
NOT. BANNON IS ONE OF THE MOST
CONTROVERSIAL FIGURES IN U.S.
POLITICS FOR MANY REASONS.
BUT IT CAN BE HARD TO SEE WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN THE MIDTERMS
WITHOUT SEEING WHAT HE’S UP TO.
PEOPLE CAN’T DECIDE WHAT TO DO
ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR
POLITICS IF WHAT’S HAPPENING IS
NOT EXPOSED OR NOT KNOWN OR NOT
CONFRONTED.
CONFRONTED. WHILE BANNON HAS TRIED A BIG
ROLE IN POLITICS, HE RARELY GOES
ON TV, HE HAS NEVER TAKEN
QUESTIONS FROM AN MSNBC ANALYST
ON AIR.
ON AIR. THAT CHANGES TONIGHT.
PLUS, INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS,
ADVERSARIAL REACTION AND FACT
CHECKING FROM OUR PANEL OF
JOURNALISTS AND POLITICAL
ANALYSTS WHO ARE WITH ME LIVE.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR UP FRONT,
THIS INTERVIEW HAD NO GROUND
RULES, NOTHING OFF LIMITS.
WE TALKED ABOUT BANNON’S PROJECT
FOR THE MID-TERMS, HIS DONORS,
HIS POLITICAL RECORD, THE TIME’S
UP MOVEMENT, HIS VIEW OF JAMES
COMEY’S FIRES AND WHY MUELLER
VIEWS HIM AS A WITNESS TO BOTH
THE COLLUSION AND OBSTRUCTION
INVESTIGATION THAT’S GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. BANNON ALSO RECOUNTS THE FIRST
TIME HE AND MUELLER EVER SPOKE
AT THE DOORWAY TO DONALD TRUMP’S
OVAL OFFICE.
OVAL OFFICE. HERE IS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION
STARTING WITH THE MIDTERMS.
>> LET’S START WITH THE
MIDTERMS.
MIDTERMS. IF THEY WERE HELD TODAY, WHO DO
YOU THINK WOULD WIN THE HOUSE?
>> I THINK IF THEY WERE HELD
TODAY, WE’D HAVE A TOUGH TIME
HOLDING THE HOUSE.
I REALLY DO.
I THINK IT COULD BE NORTH OF 25
MAYBE 30 SEATS.
MAYBE NORTH OF THAT.
THE PEOPLE ARE PROJECTING 45 OR
50 SEATS.
50 SEATS. I BELIEVE BY NOVEMBER 6th, WE’RE
GOING TO WIN THIS.
I THINK ALL THIS TAKES IS PEOPLE
ON OUR SIDE OF THE FOOTBALL
FOCUSSING ON WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS ELECTION WILL COME AS A
REFERENDUM ON HIM.
HE PERMEATES THE ENTIRE
POLITICAL CULTURE.
POLITICAL CULTURE. I THINK THOSE AROUND HIM ARE
TELLING HIM, HEY, IT IS OKAY TO
LOSE THE HOUSE.
YOU CAN WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATS
AND WORK WITH A DEMOCRAT HOUSE
IN 2020 IS BAD ADVICE.
I HAVE MADE A FILM THAT’S
FOCUSSED ON GETTING OUT THE
TRUMP BASE, THE DEPLORABLES PLUS
THE BLUE COLLAR DEMOCRATS.
THE OPPOSITION PARTY MEDIA AND
THE DEMOCRATS SUCCEED IN ONE
THING.
THING. I THINK THEY DEAD GET A DO-OVER
TO 2016 AND I THINK THIS IS HIS
FIRST RE-ELECT.
FIRST RE-ELECT. >> YOU SAID YOU WILL SAVE THE
TRUMP PRESIDENCY IN THESE
MIDTERMS.
MIDTERMS. DOES HE KNOW HE NEEDS YOU TO
SAVE HIM?
SAVE HIM? >> I DON’T THINK THE QUOTE WAS
WE’RE GOING TO SAVE HIM.
WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS GET
THIS MESSAGE FOCUSSED.
THE MESSAGE IS ABOUT PRESIDENT
TRUMP, A REFERENDUM ON PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
TRUMP. TO ME IT IS AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.
I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE
RUNNING AS AN IMPEACHMENT
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. I THINK OUR SIDE HAS TO
UNDERSTAND THAT.
UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU JUST CAN’T RUN ON TAX CUTS.
YOU HAVE TO RUN ON THE ENTIRE
PACKAGE OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
>> YOU THINK IMPEACHMENT IS ON
THE BALLOT WHY?
>> THE GRASS ROOTS OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE PUT IT ON
THE BALLOT AND SO HAS NANCY PEL
LOW SIS
LOW SIS PELOSI
PELOSI PELOSI.
PELOSI. IF THE CONGRESSMEN IN YOUR
DISTRICT, YOU HAVE TO COME OUT
TO HELP PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THESE
DISTRICTS IN JULY IN 90 DEGREE
HEAT GOING DOOR TO DOOR.
THE REASON THEY’RE GOING DOOR TO
DOOR IS THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT
THE IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
TRUMP. ALL WE’RE SAYING IS, HEY, IT IS
ALREADY ON THE BALLOT.
LET’S DO IT.
>> YOUR NEW GROUP OF CITIZENS OF
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
YOU SAY WE’RE AT WAR.
WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN?
>> THE FILM SAYS TRUMP AT WAR.
TRUMP IS AT WAR ABOUT THE
POLITICAL CLASS.
POLITICAL CLASS. >> IT IS YOUR FILM.
>> IT IS A FILM CALLED "TRUMP AT
WAR."
WAR." IT SHOWS YOU HE IS AT WAR WITH
THE OPPOSITION PARTY MEDIA AND
BASICALLY HE’S AT ECONOMIC WAR
WITH CHINA.
WITH CHINA. AND, SO, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THIS FILM YOU SEE THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS A DISRUPTER
AND AN INNOVATOR.
YOU SEE HE IS KIND OF DELIVERING
ON THE PROMISES HE PUT FORWARD
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT
HE’S NOT INTO JUST MANAGING THE
DECLINE OF THE COUNTRY, BUT HE’S
GOING TO TRY TO TURN THE COUNTRY
AROUND.
AROUND. IT IS A FILM THAT IS FOCUSSED ON
GETTING OUR BASE JACKED UP AND
OUR BASE OUT.
BECAUSE IF WE DON’T GET OUR BASE
OUT ON NOVEMBER 6th, WE’LL HAVE
A BAD DAY AT THE POLLS.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE
TRUMP VOTER, THE INVISIBLE TRUMP
VOTER SHOW UP LIKE A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. >> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO
REPUBLICANS WHO SAY WHY SHOULD
THEY TAKE YOUR HELP IF YOU
HAVEN’T BACKED WINNING
CANDIDATES THUS FAR?
>> I THINK I DID BACK WINNING
CANDIDATES IN THE PRIMARY.
THE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT IN
ALABAMA, ROY MOORE SPECIFICALLY.
ROY MOORE WOULD HAVE WON THAT
ELECTION IF MITCH McCONNELL AND
THESE OTHERS HADN’T TURNED
AGAINST HIM.
AGAINST HIM. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD FEEL ON HOW
TO WIN.
TO WIN. I HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN
THIS SINCE THE TEA PARTY, YOU
KNOW, THE TEA PARTY ELECTION IN
2010.
2010. SO I THINK WE HAVE A VERY GOOD
IDEA OF HOW TO MAKE THESE FILMS
AND GET PEOPLE OUT.
>> HOW CAN YOU BLAME REPUBLICANS
IN WASHINGTON FOR WHAT HAPPENED
IN ALABAMA?
IN ALABAMA? >> HE CAME OUT ON SUNDAY MORNING
ON NATIONAL TV AND SAID I’M NOT
VOTING FOR ROY MOORE.
McCONNELL WAS THE GUY -- IT IS
THE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT
THAT DUMPED ALL THIS STUFF TO
THE WASHINGTON POST THAT TURNED
AGAINST HIM WHEN THEIR CANDIDATE
GOT SMOKED IN THE PRIMARY.
SO IT WAS THE REPUBLICAN
ESTABLISHMENT THAT SAID FROM DAY
ONE, WE’RE NOT ONLY GOING TO
SUPPORT ROY MOORE, THEY WERE
MEETING TO UNSEAT ROY MOORE AND
UNSEAT HIM IF HE WON.
THAT WAS THE REPUBLICAN
ESTABLISHMENT TURNING AGAINST
HIM.
HIM. >> HOW MUCH MONEY DOES YOUR
GROUP HAVE?
GROUP HAVE? >> WE’VE RAISED, YOU KNOW, QUITE
A BIT OF MONEY.
WE MADE A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE
FILM.
FILM. I HAVE A 25 PERSON STAFF.
WE RUN A WAR ROOM EVERY DAY.
WE DO TALKING POINTS.
>> $5 MILLION?
>> OVER $5 MILLION, YES.
>> OVER $10 MILLION.
>> I DON’T WANT TO PUT A
SPECIFIC NUMBER ON IT.
>> IS IT FAIR TO SAY BETWEEN $5
MILLION AND $10 MILLION.
>> WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES
POURING IN FROM DO NORS AND WE
WILL START A SMALL DO NOR
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM
GETTING RESOURCES.
GETTING RESOURCES. YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS WITH
BREITBART OR DOING OTHER THINGS.
>> YOU’RE ALSO VERY RICH AND YOU
KNOW A LOT OF RICH PEOPLE.
>> I HAVE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RUN
AND I KNOW SOME HIGH NET WORTH
INDIVIDUALS.
INDIVIDUALS. >> WHO IS FUNDING THIS GROUP?
>> PRIVATE DO NORNORSDONORS.
>> WHY NOT TELL PEOPLE WHO THEY
ARE?
ARE? THE LAW ALLOWS YOU TO GO PUBLIC
OR PRIVATE.
OR PRIVATE. >> IF DO NORNORS WANT TO COME
FORWARD, THEY CAN.
I THINK YOU WOULD SAY THAT WE
ARE VERY MUCH FOCUSSED ON --
WE’RE THE CHINA HAWK, C4.
I’M VERY UP FRONT ON WHAT THE
SITUATION IS WITH CHINA AND
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT BACK THIS
THAT ARE CHINA HAWKS.
>> FOR THEM, THEY WANT TO MAKE
MONEY OFF OF WHAT COMES OFF OF
THESE ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR
POSITIONS WITH CHINA.
>> NO, NO, NO.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR PAY
PATRIOTISM.
PATRIOTISM. >> IS THERE ANYONE YOU WOULD NOT
TAKE MONEY FROM?
>> WELL, I WOULD NOT TAKE MONEY
FROM FOREIGNERS, RIGHT?
I’M PRETTY SELECTIVE ABOUT WHO I
TAKE MONEY FROM.
I HAVE ALWAYS HAD GREAT
PARTNERS.
PARTNERS. BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM
RAISING MONEY.
RAISING MONEY. I THINK YOU HAVE SEEN
PARTICULARLY IN WALL STREET AND
OTHERS YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT COME FROM BLUE COLLAR
BACKGROUNDS THAT LIKE THIS
POPULISM, THAT LIKE THE TRUMP
PROGRAM THAT ARE PRETTY
SUPPORTIVE.
SUPPORTIVE. >> YOUR CRITICS SAY YOU TALK A
LOT OF SMACK ABOUT WALL STREET
BUT THEN YOU ARE FUNDED BY WALL
STREET.
STREET. >> NOT FUNDED BY WALL STREET BUT
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. >> YOU TOLD ME IT INCLUDES
PEOPLE WITH A POSITION IN CHINA
IS WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
>> PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND OUR
POSITION IN CHINA, PEOPLE THAT
UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE THE CHINA
HAWKS.
HAWKS. >> THE QUESTION YOU UNDERSTAND,
THOUGH, IS HOW DO YOU TAKE ON
WALL STREET IF YOU ARE FUNDED BY
WALL STREET.
WALL STREET. >> INDIVIDUALS ON WALL STREET,
SOME OF THE BIGGEST GUYS ON WALL
STREET ARE QUITE ANTI THE ANTICS
THAT WALL STREET HAS BEEN UP TO.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE GAME IS.
JUST BECAUSE YOU MADE SOME MONEY
ON WALL STREET OR JUST BECAUSE
YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A HEDGE
FUND DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW
WHAT THE PRACTICES OF WALL
STREET ARE.
STREET ARE. IN FACT, I THINK IT’S BEEN A
GREAT WAY FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT
ARE BLUE COLLAR, COME FROM BLUE
COLLAR BACKGROUNDS TO GET AHEAD.
>> THE MAIN PIECE OF ECONOMIC
LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED
IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
THE TAX BILL.
MOST OF THOSE BENEFITS GO TO THE
VERY WEALTHY.
VERY WEALTHY. IS THAT A MISTAKE?
>> HANG ON A SECOND.
THE CENTRAL PART OF THE TAX BILL
WAS ALSO THE CORPORATE TAX BILL
TO MAKE SURE WE WERE COMPETITIVE
WITH GERMANY AND CHINA.
IF YOU LOOK AT MANUFACTURING
COMING BACK HERE, IT IS PART AND
PARCEL OF THE SITUATION WE’RE IN
WITH THE TARIFFS, THE ECONOMIC
PACKAGE AND THE TAX PACKAGE,
THAT WAS THE CENTRAL PART OF IT.
>> ARE YOU GLOBAL?
>> NOT GLOBALLY.
I’M TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
HERE.
HERE. WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN
MANUFACTURING JOBS COMING BACK.
THAT’S WHY YOU HAVE GOT SUCH
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE REASONS IS THE TAX
BILL.
BILL. NOW, I WASN’T TOTALLY -- I
DIDN’T ACTUALLY LOVE SOME OF THE
THINGS ON THE INDEX.
WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED IN
THE IN THE OVAL OFFICE.
I LOST THAT FIGHT.
NOT THAT THAT CAN’T BE
RE-ADDRESSED SOMETIME IN THE
FUTURE.
FUTURE. >> WHEN YOU SEE 83% GOING TO THE
TOP 1%, IS THAT TOO MUCH?
>> I THINK WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH CORPORATE
AMERICA IS THAT CORPORATE
AMERICA IS BECOMING MORE
COMPETITIVE AND WE’RE REPATRIOTS
TO COME BACK HERE AND INVEST IN
THE UNITED STATES.
I THINK IT IS ABOUT
MANUFACTURING JOBS.
MANUFACTURING JOBS. IF YOU LOOK AT PRESIDENT’S
TRUMP’S OVER ALL AGAIN DARKSENDA
WORKING.
WORKING. >> THE PRESIDENT WENT TO
MAR-A-LAGO AND TOLD PEOPLE THE
TAX BILL, QUOTE, YOU ALL JUST
GOT A LOT RICHER.
IS THAT YOUR POPULISM?
>> I THINK POPULISM, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT PRESIDENT TRUMP, IS
ABOUT HIS ENTIRE PROGRAM.
THIS TAX CUT WAS FOCUSSED ON
INDUSTRIAL TAX CUT.
IT WAS TO MAKE THE MANUFACTURING
SIDE OF THIS COUNTRY STRONGER.
WE HAD THE 100%, YOU KNOW,
WRITE-OFF OF CAPITAL
EXPENDITURE.
EXPENDITURE. THIS WAS ALL ABOUT REBUILDING
THE MANUFACTURING BASE.
AM I TOTALLY EXCITED ABOUT EVERY
ASPECT OF THE TAX BILL?
NOT THAT EXCITED.
REMEMBER, I WAS A BIG SUPPORTER
OF PAUL RYAN’S BORDER
ADJUSTABILITY TAX AND THAT
DIDN’T GO ANYWHERE.
SO WE WENT TO PLAN B.