Steve Bannon admits Trump sent ICE to airports as 'test run' for midterms

MAGA influencer Steve Bannon argued that President Donald Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports as a "5-D chess" move that would prepare them to police polling places in the 2026 midterm elections. For his part, Trump has said the ICE agents are there to "help" Transportation Security Administration officers during the partial government shutdown.

"The ICE agents at the airports to help out, and remember they said they're not going to work the x-rays, it's too complicated, they're not trained for it, but they're trained to — wait for it — check IDs," Bannon said on the Monday edition of War Room. "That's why it's perfect training for the fall of 2026. This is why it's such a brilliant, this is another 5-D chess move for President Trump."

"Let's get ICE into the airports to help out, to the lines. They can't work the machines. You know what to do? Just walk them down," he continued. "Can we check your IDs? That's what's going to happen in the fall of '26 because, folks, we're tired of having an election stolen."

"So ICE is going to be there in the fall of '26, just like they're in the airports today."

Bannon, however, argued that ICE agents should wear masks while working in airports.

"I don't like this idea of unmasking the ICE agents at the airports," he remarked. "They're going to dox these guys and get to their families. I don't like it."

"This is a great test run for the fall," the host added. "Hey, can you show me your ID? Yo, suck on that mainstream media comms department for the radical left."