Steve Bannon Tries To Mend Ties With Trump, After Trump All But Erases Him

Marina Fang
Updated

WASHINGTON ― Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is standing by Donald Trump, even after the president on Wednesday widened an extraordinary rift with him in response to explosive comments Bannon made in a forthcoming book.

On his Breitbart radio show Wednesday night, Bannon reiterated that he supports Trump “day in and day out” and referred to the president as “a great man.”

They were Bannon’s first public comments since excerpts of his remarks in the book were released, precipitating Wednesday’s cascade of events, which culminated in Trump and the White House issuing a furious denouncement of Bannon and Trump’s attorney threatening a lawsuit in a cease-and-desist letter. Bannon’s conservative allies also sought to distance themselves.

On Thursday morning, Bannon returned to the airwaves, telling his followers that “there’s no one we think higher [of] than Donald Trump.” He also accused “left-wing” media of attempting to create the feud between him and Trump, assuring listeners that “we are tight.”

“Nothing will ever come between us and President Trump and his agenda. Don’t worry about that,” the Breitbart chairman told a caller on his show. “Don’t worry about us and Trump and the [Make America Great Again] agenda. We are tight on this as we’ve ever been.”

Trump and the White House all but cut off ties with Bannon on Wednesday, after it was revealed that he unleashed a bevy of criticisms and accusations against members of the Trump administration and the president’s family in journalist Michael Wolff’s new book, Fire and Fury.

In an unusual statement, Trump diminished Bannon’s role in his campaign and administration and claimed that his former chief strategist had “lost his mind.”

Prominent conservative donor and Bannon ally Rebekah Mercer has also reportedly pulled her support of him, according to The Washington Post.

Trump has reportedly seethed when Bannon, who helped craft Trump’s “America First” platform and embrace of ultra-conservative groups, has been in the spotlight. Last summer, Trump had been angry about reporter Joshua Green’s book Devil’s Bargain, which detailed Bannon’s role in Trump’s political rise. Trump also believed Bannon was responsible for leaking information to reporters before his departure from the White House in August.

Also on HuffPost

Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of Puerto Rico residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan on Oct. 3.
Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of Puerto Rico residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan on Oct. 3.
Trump reacts as he sits in a truck on March 23 while welcoming truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting at the White House regarding health care.
Trump reacts as he sits in a truck on March 23 while welcoming truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting at the White House regarding health care.
Trump registers his surprise as he realizes other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 13.
Trump, along with first lady Melania Trump, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, put their hands on an illuminated globe during the inauguration ceremony of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 21.
Trump, along with first lady Melania Trump, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, put their hands on an illuminated globe during the inauguration ceremony of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 21.
Trump looks up toward the solar eclipse while standing on the Truman Balcony at the White House on Aug. 21.
Trump looks up toward the solar eclipse while standing on the Truman Balcony at the White House on Aug. 21.
Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May are pictured ahead of a photo opportunity of leaders as they arrive for a NATO summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25. 
Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May are pictured ahead of a photo opportunity of leaders as they arrive for a NATO summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25. 
Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing, China, on Nov. 10.
Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing, China, on Nov. 10.
Trump holds up a pen after signing the HBCU executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 28. 
Trump holds up a pen after signing the HBCU executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 28. 
Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wait for reporters to enter the room before their meeting in the Oval Office on March 17.
Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wait for reporters to enter the room before their meeting in the Oval Office on March 17.
Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7.
Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7.
Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio to the White House on Sept. 15. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the White House lawn, was invited to work for a day along the National Park Service staff.
Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio to the White House on Sept. 15. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the White House lawn, was invited to work for a day along the National Park Service staff.
Trump and Putin shake hands as they take part in a family photo at the APEC summit in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 10. 
Trump and Putin shake hands as they take part in a family photo at the APEC summit in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 10. 
Trump jokes with French President Emmanuel Macron about their handshakes at the start of the NATO summit at their new headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25.
Trump jokes with French President Emmanuel Macron about their handshakes at the start of the NATO summit at their new headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25.
Trump holds a mechanical tool as he attends a Made in America roundtable in the East Room of the White House on July 19.
Trump holds a mechanical tool as he attends a Made in America roundtable in the East Room of the White House on July 19.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.