Steve Bannon Demands Lindsay Graham Be Jailed in Tense Back-and-Forth With Chris Cuomo

Tom DuranteJun 3rd, 2025, 10:54 am

Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon reiterated his call for the arrest of Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) over his views on the Ukraine war in a heated back-and-forth with NewsNation host Chris Cuomo on Monday night

During an appearance on Cuomo’s show, the ex-CNN host challenged Bannon over his previous remarks that Graham should be tossed in jail for goading Ukraine into combat with America’s support.

During the intense interview, Cuomo held firm that a sitting U.S. senator cannot be imprisoned for saying something Bannon doesn’t like.

“He’s giving Ukrainians false hope,” Bannon said repeatedly in response.

He added: “Two things ought to happen; either cancel his passport and don’t let him back in the country, or put him in jail if he comes back. Lindsay Graham is stirring it up right now. People better wake up to the fact that we’re getting sucked into this war.”

Read the conversation below:

CHRIS CUOMO: Putin has been attacking civilians as much as he can. So the idea he’s going to get to the bottom of it like he’s some fair broker. I don’t know whether it’s true that Ukraine didn’t give us a heads up and that the United States wasn’t involved and the planning or execution. I don’t know that. I know what the White House has said. I don’t necessarily believe it. I don’t know that it’s not true either. But I don’t understand how you could want to jail a U.S. senator because he’s saying something you don’t like — that sounds like worst of the deep state, and lawfare.

STEVE BANNON: No, no. What he’s doing over there right now is stirring it up. He’s giving Ukrainians false hope-

CUOMO: But it’s not illegal.

STEVE BANNON: He’s giving Ukrainians false hope, he’s giving Ukrainians false hope that we’re there to support them on engaging Russia in a kinetic conflict and we are not. One of the central parts of President Trump —

CUOMO: So maybe he’s wrong. So maybe he’s wrong, but why do you say throw him in jail?

BANNON: Two things ought to happen; either cancel his passport and don’t let him back in the country, or put him in jail if he comes back. Lindsay Graham is stirring it up right now. People better wake up to the fact that we’re getting sucked into this war and if we get sucked in much more-

CUOMO: I get it.

BANNON: First off, you just said the intelligence community, if the intelligence community actually did this, this is an act of war against Russia. Did the American people vote to go to war with the Russian people?

CUOMO: No.

BANNON: This thing is so serious, but look, I’m being serious. Curtis LeMay at the top of the game and during the during worst years in the Soviet Union during the Cuban missile crisis. We never even conceived of going out and taking out 40% of their bombers on runways. The attack was audacious. It was brilliant. But the problem is it gets us involved in a conflict that no one in the United States wants to be part of and it’s going to be tougher for us to break off.

CUOMO: I don’t disagree with that. I’m just saying you can’t be throwing people in jail because you don’t like what they say. That’s my only point. I’m not saying that you’re wrong about where this might lead and how dangerous it is. And that’s why I wanted you on to discuss it. We’re watching it very carefully and we will continue to do so. And you’re always here to make your case. Steve Bannon, I appreciate you.

BANNON: Appreciate you, sir.