Former White House aide Steve Bannon, now in Europe touting his “populist-nationalist movement,” said in an interview published Wednesday that he is “fascinated by” Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
Bannon made the comment to Nicholas Farrell, who in 2003 authored a biography of the dictator.
“You put the juice back in Mussolini,” Bannon said, referring to Farrell’s book. “He was clearly loved by women. He was a guy’s guy. He has all that virility. He also had amazing fashion sense, right, that whole thing with the uniforms. I’m fascinated by Mussolini.”
Bannon has described himself as an “economic nationalist” and “a fire-breathing populist.” During his brief stint at the White House, he pushed for President Donald Trump and cabinet officials to roll back regulations and supported Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.
When Farrell asked Bannon whether his ideology is similar to fascism, Bannon replied, “This is all theoretical bullshit. I don’t know. Populism, fascism — who cares?”
Read the full interview at the Spectator.
