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Banish Bannon? Trump weighs his options as top aides feud

By John Walcott and Jeff Mason

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump (L), seated at his desk with National Security Advisor Michael Flynn (2nd R) and senior advisor Steve Bannon (R), speaks by phone with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - For months, U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser and his chief strategist have battled for influence behind the scenes, and their feud may force another shake-up at the White House.

 

The dispute between Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster and political strategist Stephen Bannon has reached a level of animosity that is destabilising Trump's team of top advisers just as the administration tries to regain lost momentum, three senior officials said.

 

Under pressure from moderate Republicans to fire Bannon, Trump declined to publicly back him on Tuesday, although he left his options open. "We'll see what happens with Mr. Bannon," he told reporters at Trump Tower in New York.

 

Whatever Trump decides could chart the fate of a nuclear-weapons deal with Iran, U.S. troop deployments to Afghanistan and White House staffing decisions - all issues over which Bannon and McMaster have sparred.

 

Bannon has been in a precarious position before but Trump has opted to keep him, in part because his chief strategist played a major role in his election victory and is backed by many of the president's most loyal rank-and-file supporters.

 

"The president obviously is very nervous and afraid of firing him," a source close to the White House told Reuters.

 

The source floated the possibility that Bannon could be demoted instead of fired, noting that he might turn into a harsh critic of the administration if he is forced out of the inner circle.

 

Two other senior officials, both supporters of McMaster who asked not to be identified, said he blames Bannon for a series of attacks against him by right-wing website Breitbart News, which Bannon used to lead, and other far-right conservative groups.

 

In recent weeks, Breitbart has published a series of articles making a case for McMaster's ouster on the basis that he is not a strong ally of Israel and that he has staffed the National Security Council with holdovers from the Obama administration.

 

JOSTLING

 

One of the senior officials said McMaster’s anger over the campaign “is known to the president” but declined to say whether the national security adviser had told Trump directly or through General John Kelly, an ally and the president's new chief of staff.

 

"McMaster isn't saying Bannon is the mastermind behind the campaign, but he does think Bannon could stop it if he wanted to,” said one of McMaster's defenders.

 

In a television interview on Sunday, McMaster repeatedly declined to answer when asked if he could work with Bannon.

 

About their feud, Bannon declined to comment and McMaster was unavailable for comment.

 

Instead of firing Bannon, Trump could move McMaster into a position outside the White House, possibly back to an active military command role, or keep both men where they are and insist on some form of truce.

 

Bannon has survived other White House power struggles this year and established a detente with Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner after a scolding from the president.

 

The two senior officials who support McMaster said Kelly is angry that the anti-McMaster campaign has made the White House appear chaotic, reflecting badly on him as he was brought in as chief of staff two weeks ago to restore order and discipline.

 

Bannon sees himself as the defender of Trump's nationalist base and has advocated for both an end or renegotiation of trade deals and a more isolationist approach to foreign affairs than McMaster.

 

He has pushed to scrap the 2015 nuclear-weapons agreement with Iran, which McMaster argues should remain in place, and has also proposed using contractors to fight the war in Afghanistan rather than expanding U.S. forces there, as McMaster has advocated.

 

McMaster is part of a more pragmatic group that Bannon likes to label "globalists."

 

He drew the fury of Bannon's supporters by recently overhauling the White House's National Security Council, pushing out four staffers who were seen as close to Bannon.

 

Conservative commentator Mike Cernovich is a Bannon ally and has been a vocal critic of McMaster, even levelling personal attacks against him.

 

Cernovich says he does not talk directly to Bannon but praises him as an important counterweight to McMaster.

 

He also warns that the president would alienate his most loyal supporters if he fires Bannon.

 

"I don't think that people who like Trump are suddenly going to say, 'We're going to fight Trump.' Instead they'll say, 'What's the point of supporting him?'" Cernovich told Reuters.

 

The conservative Jewish-American and pro-Israel group Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which also has close ties to Bannon, has been one of McMaster’s sharpest critics, urging Trump to reassign him away from policy areas dealing with Israel and Iran.

 

Trump has himself backed McMaster, saying he was a "good man and very pro-Israel".

 

A source close to the ZOA bristled at the suggestion that Bannon was influencing its approach and said it would not tone down the campaign against McMaster, despite entreaties by Bannon to do so.

 

“We find it remarkably offensive that anyone would suggest that Steve Bannon or anyone else tells us what to say or what not to say,” the source said. “It makes me feel awful that he’s getting blamed for this, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

 

(Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Kieran Murray and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-16

[darksidedog]

Bannon is a cancer and a scourge on society. His very presence in the White House is a disgrace. If Trump wants us to believe he is not a racist, firing this bigot would be a very good start.

[mtls2005]

Bannon's not going anywhere, unless he wants to, he knows where the bodies are buried.

 

Trump only dumped Flynn - another guy who knows where the bodies are buried - only after being pretty much cornered, and he still remains loyal to him, with aPresidential Pardon awaiting a signature.

[boomerangutang]

Americans knew, if Trump was elected, he would have distasteful people surrounding him.  Those who voted for him must have thought, "that's ok. He's going to get me a good-paying job and build a great big beautiful wall, so I don't care what else happens."

 

Anyhow....  Sure, Bannon is bad news.   So is Gorka and Steven Miller (the nazi-like droid, not the singer).  Lawyer Cohen is pretty bad also.  As with all the lawyers surrounding Trump and his cohorts, he lies every time he emits a sound out of his mouth.

[boomerangutang]

32 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Bannon's not going anywhere, unless he wants to, he knows where the bodies are buried.

Trump only dumped Flynn - another guy who knows where the bodies are buried - only after being pretty much cornered, and he still remains loyal to him, with aPresidential Pardon awaiting a signature.

Re; Flynn:  it was only right after an article in the Wash.Post articulated Flynn's law-breaking - that Trump gave in, and showed Flynn the door.  Trump, Pence and all the rest knew Flynn was a crooked as a bonsai tree for many weeks prior, but kept him on.   That's a big reason why Trump and all the other infections in the Oval Office hate good journalists, and keep calling them 'fake news.'

 

BTW, reports of Flynn's law-breaking were known to many liberals, who hone up on news, for months before January.   Yet, Pence and Trump Sr can stand in front of cameras and say they knew nothing about Flynn's deep problems - for months after people like me knew.

 

[smotherb]

What, no pro-Trump or pro-Bannon posts?

 

[HungWell]

I'm happy Trump got elected. His election has opened up the presidency to non-politicians. Come 2020 I think the field of candidates is going to have some real quality outsiders. America has always had an uncanny knack of correcting itself just as things seem to be at their bleakest. All the US has to do is survive the 4 years Trump is president - impeaching him would be a greater mistake than the 2006 coup in Thailand.

[Jingthing]

It's hard to say because even if trump thinks he'd be better off without Bannon, Bannon unleashed on the outside may be dangerous for him. 

[kamahele]

Trump essentially threw Bannon under a bus at today's press conference. 

[Somtamnication]

I hope when Bannon leaves, he takes Trump with him. 

[dunroaming]

9 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Bannon is a cancer and a scourge on society. His very presence in the White House is a disgrace. If Trump wants us to believe he is not a racist, firing this bigot would be a very good start.

Trump and Bannon are peas from the same pod and they are both a cancer and a scourge on society.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, HungWell said:

I'm happy Trump got elected. His election has opened up the presidency to non-politicians. Come 2020 I think the field of candidates is going to have some real quality outsiders. America has always had an uncanny knack of correcting itself just as things seem to be at their bleakest. All the US has to do is survive the 4 years Trump is president - impeaching him would be a greater mistake than the 2006 coup in Thailand.

I think those who thought an outsider would be good have quickly changed their minds! LOL. But yes, American politics are seriously broken. Mainly Congress.

[HungWell]

2 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I think those who thought an outsider would be good have quickly changed their minds! LOL. But yes, American politics are seriously broken. Mainly Congress.

Changed their minds only because this particular outsider is an idiot. Bloomberg will be kicking himself for not running. I see Zuckerberg is showing some interest - if he or someone similar were to get in they would certainly surround themselves with a lot of very smart outsiders. As I said, the US always seems to find a way forward. 20 plus years of right wing nut jobs sabotaging democracy with religious and corporate fanaticism has only served to create a new pathway forward.

[mtls2005]

 

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, HungWell said:

Changed their minds only because this particular outsider is an idiot.

But it's the idiot Putin wanted as POTUS and that made the difference.  The others would have needed to win on their own merit and that doesn't happen in American elections.

[HungWell]

2 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

But it's the idiot Putin wanted as POTUS and that made the difference.  The others would have needed to win on their own merit and that doesn't happen in American elections.

Just like electing black men president doesn't happen.

The times they are a changing.

 

The ultra-rich in the US have lost control of the Republican Party, expect them to support one of their own as a third party candidate in 2020.

[ilostmypassword]

11 minutes ago, HungWell said:

Just like electing black men president doesn't happen.

The times they are a changing.

 

The ultra-rich in the US have lost control of the Republican Party, expect them to support one of their own as a third party candidate in 2020.

Now if Trump had appoined, let's say the #2 man at Goldman Sachs to be his economic advisor, or a former Goldman Sachs executive and bankster who capitalized on mortgage defaults, that would be a different story. If the current president had proposed massive tax cuts for the rich and for corporations, that would be a different story. But since the current president has done none of those things, clearly the rich have no recourse but to do as you say.

[HungWell]

Just now, ilostmypassword said:

Now if Trump had appoined, let's say the #2 man at Goldman Sachs to be his economic advisor, or a former Goldman Sachs executive and bankster who capitalized on mortgage defaults, that would be a different story. If the current president had proposed massive tax cuts for the rich and for corporations, that would be a different story. But since the current president has done none of those things, clearly the rich have no recourse but to do as you say.

Heard of a place called Charlottesville? Some interesting goings on there in the last few days.

Trump is unpredictable and uncontrollable.

If they can't have another Bush in the Whitehouse, better one of their own in a new party and let the Republicans go full tea party.

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, HungWell said:

Heard of a place called Charlottesville? Some interesting goings on there in the last few days.

Trump is unpredictable and uncontrollable.

If they can't have another Bush in the Whitehouse, better one of their own in a new party and let the Republicans go full tea party.

One thing about Trump is constant: he will always put his financial self-interest first. Remember that this is the guy who donated charitable funds to himself.

[bazza73]

For non-Americans, Trump and his administration is like a slow-motion train wreck - we watch with horrified fascination.

[HungWell]

12 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

One thing about Trump is constant: he will always put his financial self-interest first. Remember that this is the guy who donated charitable funds to himself.

Ego first, financial self interest second.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

For non-Americans, Trump and his administration is like a slow-motion train wreck - we watch with horrified fascination.

I don't doubt it. Not referring to you personally, but I also don't doubt that a large portion of the world is happy to see the USA fall apart by electing an insane clown president. But they should be careful what they wish for. 

[bazza73]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

I don't doubt it. Not referring to you personally, but I also don't doubt that a large portion of the world is happy to see the USA fall apart by electing an insane clown president. But they should be careful what they wish for. 

I think we are mostly concerned about a person who is provenly impulsive and vindictive with his fingers on a nuclear trigger. And I agree, if the US did fall apart, there would be a lot of unknown unknowns.

[ilostmypassword]

3 minutes ago, HungWell said:

Ego first, financial self interest second.

I've seen no evidence of that. I have seen a president who is using the his occupancy of the white house to advance his financial self interest.

[joecoolfrog]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I don't doubt it. Not referring to you personally, but I also don't doubt that a large portion of the world is happy to see the USA fall apart by electing an insane clown president. But they should be careful what they wish for. 

Indeed !

I have been a fierce critic of US foreign policy in the past and lets not get started about Corporate self interest. However one needs to be pragmatic , if the USA is the enemy than what on earth does that make Russia or China .

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I don't doubt it. Not referring to you personally, but I also don't doubt that a large portion of the world is happy to see the USA fall apart by electing an insane clown president. But they should be careful what they wish for. 

Well I don't want the USA to fall apart but I fear if they don't act quickly it could happen.  The message to the rest of the world is that America made a big mistake and it is costing them dearly.  Hopefully most can see that it is Trump who is the cancer and not the country as a whole.  Getting rid of the POTUS would be the first step to regaining some semblance of credibility.  

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Well I don't want the USA to fall apart but I fear if they don't act quickly it could happen.  The message to the rest of the world is that America made a big mistake and it is costing them dearly.  Hopefully most can see that it is Trump who is the cancer and not the country as a whole.  Getting rid of the POTUS would be the first step to regaining some semblance of credibility.  

It's very difficult to remove any president, including a total disaster like 45. Historically, the best chance is health reasons. With an obese 71 year old with high stress, poor diet, and no exercise, that's definitely the best chance to see trump leave prematurely. 

Edited August 16, 2017 by Jingthing

[dunroaming]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's very difficult to remove any president, including a total disaster like 45. Historically, the best chance is health reasons. With an obese 71 year old with high stress, poor diet, and no exercise, that's definitely the best chance to see trump leave prematurely. 

And he is scared of stairs...... Must be an opportunity there?  I know it takes a lot to get rid of a President but this is now getting very dangerous.

[boomerangutang]

32 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

And he is scared of stairs...... Must be an opportunity there?  I know it takes a lot to get rid of a President but this is now getting very dangerous.

                          Even if Trump were seriously injured or otherwise debilitated, he would not step down for those reasons. His ego wouldn't let him do it.  Unless stone cold dead, he would prop himself in the Oval Office and have Ivanka run the show.  He really thinks most Americans want him in the top spot, just like he really thinks other patently false things - which no one else agrees with, such as......

>>>  Obama is a Muslim born outside the USA

>>>  His inaugural crowd was largest ever

>>>  He was personally wiretapped by Obama

>>>  Rosie O'Donnel is a pig

>>>  Big Air conditioning company gained jobs because of him (they lost jobs)

>>>  A big wall will keep Mexicans from coming to the US

>>>  It's fine to grab women's pussies ("If you're famous, they let you do it.")

>>>  His university is the greatest

>>>  All mainstream media is 'fake news'  (maybe Putin agrees with him on that)

>>>  The Russia Trump investigation is a witch hunt and a 'nothing burger'

>>>  Putin can do no wrong

>>>  White Supremacists are no more violence-prone than 'Alt-Left'.

 

[bazza73]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

It's very difficult to remove any president, including a total disaster like 45. Historically, the best chance is health reasons. With an obese 71 year old with high stress, poor diet, and no exercise, that's definitely the best chance to see trump leave prematurely. 

I understand he does play golf. I'll bet on two things, however: 1/ It's in a golf cart 2/ He cheats.