Former White House strategist Steve Bannon has attacked Fox News host Mark Levin as the MAGA civil war gets even nastier.
The two conservative figureheads have opposing views about Donald Trump’s decision to involve America in the Israel-Iran conflict–and have been battling back-and-forth on social media since.
Last week, Bannon said he believed it was a mistake for the U.S. to take direct military action against Iran and urged the president to question Israeli intelligence and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warnings.
He fanned the flames after calling for the Department of Justice to investigate whether Fox was “cheerleading [the U.S.] on to war” with Iran.
Levin had supported strikes against Iran, and said earlier this week of Trump, “This man just defended the free world.”
Bannon labeled the Fox host a “hyena” on a Monday episode of his War Room show, adding Levin and Sen. Lindsey Graham were “jackals who feed off death and destruction.”
On Tuesday, Levin called Bannon “a contemptible POS” and a “disgusting fraud” on his X account in response.
Bannon hit back again on Tuesday, coining the insult “Tel Aviv Levin.” He then slammed the Life, Liberty and Levin host as a “spokesmodel for a foreign nation.”
He continued, “Boy, Tel Aviv Levin. Tel Aviv Levin is big mad. He’s big mad. As a spokesperson, as a spokesmodel for a foreign nation, they didn’t get what they want.”
Bannon also took aim at Levin’s employer, Fox News, for their coverage.
“Now, why are Tel Aviv Levin and all of these guys, why are they so apoplectic? Because we defeated them,” Bannon said. “They’re all a joke and of course at Fox, they’re a mouthpiece and a propaganda arm for a foreign government.”
Levin followed up and let loose on Bannon in a string of posts after Bannon’s show on Tuesday. One labelled him, “Trump back-stabber Pardon Me Bannon”, another a “fraud”.
In his most lengthy Levin said, “Nobody gives a s–t about what you, Bannon, a confessed and convicted fraudster has to say. You’re a liar. You cheated how many people? At bottom, you’re a certified disgusting fraud. And it shows every time you open your big mouth.”
Levin continued to unleash, “You opposed our great military and commander in chief at a time when they acted to destroy Iran’s nukes. 80 percent of Americans backed the operation. You and your tiny cabal of lunatics gave aide and comfort to the enemy.”
The Fox News host added, “Now you prance around like you support our country rather than apologize for your outrageous disloyalty. And you stabbed the president in the back in the middle of battle despite the fact he pardoned your sorry ass for God knows what. You’re a contemptible POS. You always will be a certified, convicted, confessed fraud who ripped off patriotic Americans.”
In February, Bannon pleaded guilty to defrauding donors who gave money to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. He received a sentence of conditional discharge for three years, and entered into a plea agreement to avoid jail time.
He served four months in jail last year for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
