Trump's allies on the far right prepare for war with the White House following Bannon's departure
President Donald Trump's allies in the far-right media have expressed disappointment at the departure of White House chief strategist Steve Bannon on Friday, but speculate that it's likely not the end of Bannon's attempts to pressure the administration to implement the right-wing populist agenda.
The former head of Breitbart News was largely seen as the highest-ranking proponent for the nationalist and nativist strains of the president's agenda, as well as the enabler of the president's most pugilistic impulses.
Even before Bannon left the White House, there were clear signs that Breitbart was ready to more clearly break with the administration after months of acting as the president's closest media ally online.
CNN reported that Breitbart editor-in-chief Alex Marlow asked staff not to tweet about Bannon's departure, but that didn't stop staffers like editor Joel Pollak, who alluded to a brewing conflict between Breitbart and the White House in a tweet, or national security reporter Adelle Nazarian, who posted and quickly deleted three globe emojis, an allusion to the rise of so-called "globalists" within the administration.
— Joel B. Pollak (@joelpollak) August 18, 2017
The site published a story titled, "With Steve Bannon Gone, Donald Trump Risks Becoming Arnold Schwarzenegger 2.0," and is reportedly preparing more stories critical of key White House figures. (Breitbart has already been critical of figures like senior adviser Jared Kushner and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.)
Other far-right activists echoed the sentiment, but argued that Bannon could likely be a more effective agitator from the outside.
— Mike Cernovich 🇺🇸 (@Cernovich) August 18, 2017
Bannon to go "thermonuclear" against "globalists" ruining Trump administration and America. https://t.co/Hk4r6RLQBb
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 18, 2017
I hope Bannon returns to Breitbart immediately.
He can have a far bigger influence than what he was restricted to in the White House.— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) August 18, 2017
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 18, 2017
— Mike Cernovich 🇺🇸 (@Cernovich) August 18, 2017
Still, others expressed open dissatisfaction with the chief strategist's departure.
Many on the right warned that Bannon's ouster could lead to more foreign intervention, given the rising influence of former military figures within the administration.
Bannon being out before the Camp David meeting is further push by Generals to force Trump to choose Troop surge
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 18, 2017
So #BannonOut is announced the same day as #Afghanistan talks at Camp David.
Connection? Where are the voices of foreign policy restraint?— Jeff Giesea (@jeffgiesea) August 18, 2017
Conservative commentator Ann Coulter said that Trump was bowing to media pressure, and warned that there was no one in the White House who represented the right-leaning populist wing.
If @realDonaldTrump didn't like the media giving Steve Bannon all credit, instead of firing him, he should've hired 10 more like him.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 18, 2017
.@realDonaldTrump needs to hire @CLewandowski_ immediately, so there's SOMEONE in the White House who isn't from Goldman Sachs.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 18, 2017
Here's a great sign: Wall Street traders ARE CHEERING the departure of Bannon.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 18, 2017
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