Mr. Trump’s purging of his administrative staff continues. This time, Steve Bannon, the White House Chief Strategist, who helped Mr. Trump win the election, became the latest victim. On Friday, the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, announced that it was Bannon’s last day in the office.
The departure of Steve Bannon came right after the president was under fire for saying that both sides were to blame for the violence that erupted during the protest in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The president was heavily criticized for not calling out white nationalists. Members of the media have pointed out that very vocal president is usually cautious when addressing the vitriol and violence of white supremacists. They say that this is characteristic of Trump who does not want to alienate this group of people since many of them are his supporters.
Bannon’s Influence
Steve Bannon is said to have a huge influence on Trump, and Time Magazine even called him “The Great Manipulator.” Many regarded him as the power behind the president.
His departure from the White House elicited different responses. Cheers erupted on the New Stock Exchange’s floor when the news came out. The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index rose immediately.
The conservatives on the other hand lamented that they lost a major counselor in the White House. They are now worried that Trump might shift left.
Who is Steve Bannon?
Steve Bannon was the executive chair of Breitbart News prior to joining Mr. Trump’s camp during this presidential campaign. His position as Chief Strategist in Trump’s administration was created for him.
He was involved in the creation of the U.S. immigration and travel ban for seven countries. He was a vocal advocate of Pres. Trump and chastised the media for not understanding the President and calling many of them as the opposition.
In recent months, he was not that visible, as he had to shoulder much of the blame for the failure of the first travel ban. He also seemed to draw the ire of the President because his profile is rising.
Within the White House, he was viewed as a caustic presence who often clashed with other Trump aides over various local and international issues.
It is rumored that Trump has been getting weary of Bannon. The President was said to be complaining to other advisers that Steve Bannon was taking credit for the successes of the president. Trump also believes that the Chief Strategist is the source of several media leaks.
Before Friday’s announcement, there were people who were urging Bannon to resign, in the same manner that some of the President’s advisers were urging him to fire his chief strategist.
Conflicting Statements
Steve Bannon was quoted in one interview as saying that he was going to war against Trump’s opponents outside the White House. In another interview, he said that there is no other administration in history that has been as divided among itself as Trump’s administration.
He gives out different reasons for his departure from office from his various interviews, so there is no clear indication in why he and the President parted ways.
What’s clear is that he’s back at Breitbart News, just hours after the announcement of his departure from his White House post.
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