Trump ‘straightens’ things out with Steve

Washington, April 12: US President Donald Trump has signalled fraying patience with Steve Bannon amid reports of bitter infighting between the chief White House strategist and other top aides, including son-inlaw Jared Kushner.

Asked by the New York Post if he still had confidence in Mr Bannon, Mr Trump gave the controversial former Breitbart chief executive less than a ringing endorsement.

“I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late,” Mr Trump said in an interview published late on Tuesday.

“I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn’t know Steve. I’m my own strategist and it wasn’t like I was going to change,” he said.

Mr Bannon, who was brought in to lead Mr Trump’s turbulent presidential campaign in a latein-the-game shakeup, has been credited with the nationalist, anti-establishment rhetoric that helped propel the Republican billionaire into the White House. But Mr Bannon has come into conflict with Mr Kushner, a traditionalist who has amassed a widening portfolio of responsibilities over White House policy.

“Steve is a good guy, but I told them to straighten it out or I will,” Mr Trump told the Post.

Mr Trump recently decided enough was enough, ordering Mr Bannon and Mr Kushner to patch up their differences, according to officials. In a meeting late last week, the pair tried to reconcile Mr Bannon’s nationalist and populist policies with Mr Kushner’s more globalist and reportedly moderate outlook.

It will be tough going. Both men have garnered enormous influence inside Mr Trump’s White House.

As the President’s chief strategist, Mr Bannon built up power by helping orchestrate Mr Trump’s shock electoral victory.

Such was the value of his stock that he privately boasted early in the administration about virtually handpicking Mr Trump’s Cabinet.