'He was kidding!' Steve Bannon scrambles to protect Trump from Gavin Newsom revelation

MAGA influencer Steve Bannon scrambled to defend President Donald Trump after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) revealed how the president dismissed deficit spending in his first term.

During an interview on Newsom's podcast this week, Bannon argued that "both parties" were to blame for the nation's debt.

"I mean, and to be fair, so people understand, and it's not an indictment to your point about both parties, but, you know, another $8.4 trillion went to the debt under Trump administration," Newsom pointed out. "And to be fair, COVID had a huge part of that, but it's $3 trillion even before COVID hit, to your point."

"And I remember talking, by the way, you'll appreciate this, Steve," he continued. "I remember being in Marine One, talking to Trump, President Trump, about the issue of the deficit.

"And he literally looks at me, and he goes like this with his hands, and he said, printing press, printing press, and literally dismissed it completely."

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Bannon reacted quickly to defend Trump.

"He was kidding! He was kidding!" Bannon exclaimed.

"Well, I'm not, the way he governed the first four years, I'm not sure he was," Newsom replied.

Watch the video below from Here Is Gavin Newsom.