'He lost his mind', Trump on Bannon

Washington, Jan 4: US President Dold Trump excoriated his former chief strategist Steve Bannon in a statement claiming that Bannon “lost his mind” after being pushed out from the White House, the media reported. The White House released the strongly worded 266-word statement on Wenesday night slamming Bannon after excerpts from a new book quoted the former aide as calling the meeting between a Russian lawyer and the President’s eldest son, Dold Trump Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Mafort “treasonous” and “unpatriotic”, reports CNN.

“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind,” Trump said in the statement.

“Steve was a staffer who worked for me after I had already won the nomition by defeating 17 candidates, often described as the most talented field ever assembled in the Republican party.” Bannon has not responded to Trump’s claims so far. Trump’s statement marked the most significant rebuke by the President of his former chief strategist, who since leaving the White House has maintained an influential position as an informal adviser to Trump and a de-facto leader of the President’s populist movement. (IANS)