Steve Bannon is setting the stage for a potential run in the 2028 presidential election, Axios reported this weekend.

The first-term Trump White House chief strategist is not believed to be genuinely seeking the presidency, however. Two sources told the outlet that Bannon just wants to use a possible campaign as leverage to pressure GOP hopefuls into fully embracing his hard-line “America First” agenda.

According to the report, convicted fraudster Bannon has begun scouting potential campaign staffers and is exploring the creation of a political action committee.

Any bid would likely be run largely from his podcast studio, associates told Axios. And “when Trump doesn’t end up running, he’ll reluctantly say he must carry the mantle,” one Bannon ally told the outlet.

Bannon, however, trashed the idea to Axios as “bullshit” and insisted he is focused solely on securing President Donald Trump an unconstitutional third term.

The MAGA flamethrower has previously claimed there are “different alternatives to make sure” Trump “is on the ballot, and if he’s on the ballot, he’ll win,” despite Trump himself appearing to rule out another run.