Beleaguered former Trump strategist Steve Bannon offered a conciliatory note for recent comments disparaging President Trump’s son made in a newly released book.
“Donald Trump, Jr. is both a patriot and a good man. He has been relentless in his advocacy for his father and the agenda that has helped turn our country around.” Bannon had criticized Trump Jr for taking a meeting with Russian individuals. He also said that federal investigators were going to get to President Trump by going through both his son, Don Jr, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. “They are going to crack Don Jr like an egg national TV,” Bannon said.
He went on to pledge his unwavering support for President Trump and his agenda, and to explain that his comments were not directed at Don Jr. “My comments were aimed at Paul Manafort…He should have known they [the Russians] are duplicitous, cunning and not our friends. To reiterate, those comments were not aimed at Don Jr,” Bannon said. Manafort served as campaign manager for Donald Trump for a period of months during 2016.
Bannon also expressed regret that the delay in responding to the firestorm that erupted over his comments diverted attention from, as he called them, “the president’s historical accomplishments in the first year of his presidency.”