Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon may be out of President Donald Trump’s administration but now that he is back as executive chairman of Breitbart News, he will continue to influence the president from the outside.
In an interview with The Economist, Bannon said he will continue to push for the “populist nationalist” agenda he espouses when he was still the chief strategist in Trump’s administration. The former top aide said that, during his time in the White House, he had "influence" and now that he is back in Breitbart News, he has "power."
Will not turn on Trump
Steve Bannon, however, made it clear that he twill not turn against President Trump, but cautioned that they will not also allow the president to take a decision “that hurts him.”
According to the former WH chief strategist, Trump can count on Breitbart’s support as he pushes harder to put in place the anti-immigration and nationalist policies of “America First.” Bannon said that he “he can rally the base and have the president’s back.” The harder the president pushes, “the more we will be there for him,” he explained.
Bannon an ideologue?
Steve Bannon attributed his ouster from the White House for being “an ideologue.” During his stint in Trump’s administration, it was widely reported that he was in conflict with other top aides. Among them are National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and economic adviser, Gary Cohn. Bannon is also at odds with the Republican Congressional leaders, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Bannon left the White House amid the controversy of president's response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which turned violent. One counter-protester was dead while many have been injured when a white supremacist member deliberately drove his car into the counter-protesters.
Critics of the president demanded the resignation of Bannon.
A few days later, Bannon was out of the White House amid reports that the President decided to fire him.
Trump tweeted his 'Thank You'
President Trump, however, thanked Bannon via Twitter saying he came to the Trump campaign during his run against “Crooked Hillary Clinton.” It was great, Trump tweeted.
Shortly after leaving the White House, Bannon returned to Breitbart News as its executive chairman. In an interview with Bloomberg News, the former top aide made it clear that he is “going to war for Trump” and fight the president’s enemies which include the media, the Capitol Hill, and corporate America.