In "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," author Michael Wolff explores the dynamic between Steve Bannon and Donald Trump, comparing Trump to the historical figure William Jennings Bryan. Bannon viewed Trump as a populist leader, reminiscent of Bryan, who advocated for the common people against the elite. This comparison highlights Bannon's belief in Trump's potential to reshape American politics through populism.

Bannon's admiration for Trump stemmed from a shared disdain for the political establishment, which they both saw as corrupt and out of touch. By positioning Trump as a contemporary Bryan, Bannon aimed to channel the fervor of the populist movement, believing that Trump could mobilize voters and disrupt the status quo in a similar fashion to how Bryan sought to empower the working class in his time.