Former Breitbart executive chairman Steve Bannon has been on a PR tour denouncing an article from his former publication attacking Reince Priebus, but a source with extensive knowledge of Breitbart told The Daily Caller Wednesday that Bannon agrees with the premise of the story.
The Breitbart story published Tuesday cited multiple sources close to President Trump and attacked Priebus for the botched rollout of Trump’s travel ban, the slow confirmation of the president’s cabinet appointees and claims the White House chief of staff is allowing “sleeper cells” of former Obama administration officials in Trump’s government.
After the story attacking Priebus was released, Bannon told The Daily Beast Wednesday that the Breitbart story is “absurd,” and that, “Reince is doing an incredible job; he is a great partner.” Axios also reported that Bannon called up the Breitbart reporter behind the story, Matthew Boyle, and berated him for writing up the hit piece on Priebus.
While Bannon is publicly attacking the anti-Priebus story, a source with extensive knowledge of Breitbart told The Daily Caller Wednesday that Bannon and Boyle are in constant contact and that the former Breitbart executive wants to have Priebus replaced.
A former Breitbart employee Kurt Bardella also echoed this sentiment, telling The Daily Beast that Bannon’s public denials are a “charade” in his opinion. “That Steve was unhappy, and he couldn’t have been a source for a story that he was unhappy with Boyle for writing. Come on,” Bardella added.
Boyle declined to comment for the story and Bannon could not be reached for comment. The Breitbart story comes amid multiple reports that Priebus’ role in the White House might not be safe. Politico reported that former Trump campaign aides have drafted a list of possible new chief of staffs, and the same Axios report detailing Bannon’s alleged angry call says that it is “true that Trump himself has sounded people out about the performance of his chief.”
A longtime Trump confidante, Roger Stone, publicly attacked Priebus Wednesday and tweeted, “Sadly, Reince Priebus’s leakers are harming [Trump]. Priebus must go!”