News / Politics

Bannon resigns from Breitbart executive chair post amid Trump row

Wednesday, 10 January 2018 1:37 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 January 2018 1:49 AM ]

Former advisor to President Donald Trump and executive chairman of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, speaks at an event in Alabama on September 25, 2017 in Fairhope, Alabama. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump's former White House strategist, Steve Bannon, has resigned from his post as chairman of a right-wing news outlet, following a series of disparaging remarks he was quoted as saying in a book about the incumbent.

Breitbart , a conservative news agency associated with the alt-right movement, made the announcement in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

“Stephen K. Bannon has stepped down from Breitbart News Network, where he served as Executive Chairman since 2012,” it said. “Bannon and Breitbart will work together on a smooth and orderly transition.”

The outlet also quoted Bannon as saying, "I'm proud of what the Breitbart team has accomplished in so short a period of time in building out a world-class news platform."

The former White House chief strategist recently came under fire from Trump’s supporters for comments he had made in Michael Wolff’s book “Fire and Fury,” in which Bannon reportedly made incendiary remarks about Trump’s fitness for office and members of his family.

PressTV-White House tosses out Bannon’s apology

The White House says there is no way for Steve Bannon to make up with President Trump after accusing his son of “treason.”

The 64-year-old Bannon was quoted by the author as describing a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between a Russian lawyer and Trump’s son and son-in-law “treasonous,” and "unpatriotic."

Reacting to the comments, the US president dramatically censured his former chief strategist, saying that Bannon had "lost his mind," and calling him “Sloppy Steve.”

“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind,” Trump said.

The US president also denounced the book as "fake," and Michael Wolff as "totally discredited author," seeking to defend himself as a "very stable genius."

Last week, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked if Breitbart should distance itself from Bannon based on his quoted statements.

“I certainly think that it's something that they should look at and consider,” she answered.

Breitbart CEO Larry Solov was quoted as saying, “Steve is a valued part of our legacy, and we will always be grateful for his contributions, and what he has helped us to accomplish."

Trump has also blasted Bannon as the man behind the many leaks that have driven the White House into chaos.

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