Trump's chief strategist Bannon is out: White House

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump's controversial chief strategist is leaving his White House post after a turbulent run.

Steve Bannon reached a mutual agreement with Trump's chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, to end his tenure, a spokeswoman for the president’s office said Friday.

"We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

Bannon, a prominent figure in the self-described "alt-right" movement, has been a focal point of controversy after helming Breitbart News -- the movement's premier news outlet.

During a news conference at Trump Tower earlier this week, Trump appeared unsure about Bannon's future -- an apparent foreshadowing of Friday's announcement.

The right-wing nationalist is the latest senior official to depart the White House after Kelly was named chief of staff last month.

Kelly has been engaged in a review of West Wing personnel, and Bannon has reportedly been a major focus of the effort.

Throughout his time in office, Bannon has pushed a far-right agenda, urging Trump to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement and institute a promised travel ban that many have criticized as a measure targeting Muslims.

He played a major role in getting Trump to the White House during the presidential campaign, helping to mobilize the niche far-right behind the business tycoon.

But in a recent interview with the American Prospect political magazine, Bannon appeared to contradict the president on North Korea, claiming there is no military solution to the problem, and claimed to have the power to oust State Department diplomats.

Breitbart confirmed the "populist hero" is returning to the news outlet where he will resume his executive chairman duties.