Over the weekend at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, a spirited exchange took place between Steve Bannon, the former Trump White House advisor and far-right media personality, and Tim Miller, a writer at the Bulwark. The incident unfolded during the annual conference of the pro-Trump student group.
Bannon, broadcasting from outside the convention hall, took a jab at Miller by highlighting his appearances on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, playfully referring to the show as “Morning Mika” in jest. Drawing on their previous collaboration during Bannon’s tenure at Breitbart, he acknowledged Miller’s past role as the communications director of the Republican National Committee (RNC), humorously labeling it as the “quasi-dark side.”
Amid laughter and banter from the crowd, one of Bannon’s co-hosts chimed in with the term “controlled opposition.” Undeterred, Bannon continued to playfully acknowledge Miller’s presence, asking the audience to “give it up for Tim Miller.”
Miller, not missing a beat, seized the opportunity to make a pointed remark by using a microphone to declare, “Oh, and give it up for legitimate President Joe Biden. The legitimate president of the United States.” This declaration, unsurprisingly, elicited loud boos from Bannon and the crowd, emphasizing the divisive political atmosphere.
In a humorous response, Miller later shared a clip of the exchange online, recounting his attempt to recognize President Biden and initiate a “USA” chant that didn’t quite resonate well with the audience. Sarah Longwell, the publisher of the Bulwark, joined in on the banter, jokingly suggesting that Bannon’s apparent liking for Miller might be unsettling, to which Miller quipped about it being an issue for Bannon and his shrink.
The incident highlighted the polarized nature of political discussions at events like AmericaFest, where exchanges between figures with opposing views can take on a theatrical, almost WWE-like quality, providing moments of both tension and humor.
