Steve Bannon, a former aide of the US President, Donald Trump, has reportedly apologised for the comments attributed to him in the recently published book, Fire and Fury.
According to reports, Banon had referred to President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., as unpatriotic.
His apparent reaction to the report that Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin in June 2016, New York Post reports.
Bannon also criticised former Trump campaign chairman, Paul Manafort and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner for not informing the FBI of their meeting with the Russians.
Banon makes a U-turn
On Sunday, January 7, 2018, Bannon issued a statement apologising for his comments and stating categorically that his support for President Trump is unwavering.
He said “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.
“My support is also unwavering for the president and his agenda as I have shown daily in my national radio broadcasts, on the pages of Breitbart News and in speeches and appearances from Tokyo and Hong Kong to Arizona and Alabama.”
“I regret that my delay in responding to the inaccurate reporting regarding Don Jr has diverted attention from the president’s historical accomplishments in the first year of his presidency.
“My comments were aimed at Paul Manafort, a seasoned campaign professional with experience and knowledge of how the Russians operate.
“He should have known they are duplicitous, cunning and not our friends. To reiterate, those comments were not aimed at Don Jr,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Trump has dismissed the book – Fire and Fury, and its author, Michael Wolff, saying it is full of lies.
Also, CIA director, Mike Pompeo, while speaking to Fox News, referred to the Wolff’s description of President Trump as pure fantasy.