Steve Bannon, Trump's ex-chief strategist, tells 60 Minutes why he's out at the White House and criticizes the GOP for not supporting the president. "They're gonna be held accountable," he says
CBS 60 Minutes
September 10, 2017
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, during his brief tenure in the West Wing and his few months as CEO of President Trump's campaign, earned many nicknames among his admirers and his ever-expanding list of enemies. He was the "great manipulator," "Trump's Svengali," "the Grim Reaper," "Propagandist-in-chief."
He describes himself as a "streetfighter." And he proved it in this, his first-ever television interview. Bannon is back running Breitbart News -- the website where the alt-right and conspiracy theories meet conventional conservatives. The streetfighter, shiv-in-hand came ready to brawl, and not with liberals or Democrats.
STEVE BANNON: The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election. That's a brutal fact we have to face.
CHARLIE ROSE: The Republican establishment?
STEVE BANNON: The Republican establishment is trying--
CHARLIE ROSE: Wants to nullify the 2016 election?
STEVE BANNON: Trying to nullify the 2016 election. Absolutely.
CHARLIE ROSE: Who?
STEVE BANNON: I think Mitch McConnell, and to a degree, Paul Ryan. They do not want Donald Trump's populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented. It's very obvious. It's obvious as-- it's obvious as the-- it's obvious as night follows day is what they're trying to do--
CHARLIE ROSE: Give me a story that illustrates that.
STEVE BANNON: Oh, Mitch McConnell when we first met him, I mean, he was-- he was-- he-- he said, I think in one of the first meetings-- in Trump Tower with the president-- as we're wrapping up, he basically says, "I don't wanna hear any more of this 'Drain the Swamp' talk." He says, "I can't-- I can't hire any smart people," because everybody's all over him for reporting requirements and-- and the pay, et cetera, and the scrutiny. You know, "You gotta back off that." The "Drain the Swamp" thing was-- is Mitch McConnell was Day One did not wanna-- did not wanna go there. Wanted us to back off.
CHARLIE ROSE: You are attacking on many fronts people who you need to help you to get things done.
STEVE BANNON: They're not gonna help you unless they're put on notice. They're gonna be held accountable if they do not support the president of the United States. Right now there's no accountability. They have totally-- they do not support the president's program. It's an open secret on Capitol Hill. Everybody in this city knows it.
CHARLIE ROSE: And so therefore, now that you're out of the White House, you're going to war with them?
STEVE BANNON: Absolutely.
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