'Stick to the Plan': Steve Bannon Told Lawyers Why He Won't Fight Donald Trump
In an unreleased tape from a Nov. 17 speech from a private meeting with lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, Bannon urged supporters to fight against a far-reaching effort by opponents looking to impeach the president.
January 04, 2018 at 03:57 PM
3 minute read
Months before President Donald Trump's legal team sent a cease-and-desist order to former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the ousted campaign manager was telling Florida attorneys to stay the course and support Trump.
In this unreleased tape from a Nov. 17 speech from a private meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Bannon urged supporters to fight against a far-reaching effort by opponents looking to impeach the president. Bannon was speaking at Tripp Scott's Fort Lauderdale offices as part of a “Politics in the Sunshine” lecture series.
His speech came less than two months before Trump claimed Bannon “lost his mind” upon his ouster from the White House—to a surprising result: Bannon's continued support for his former boss.
Bannon's response might seem confusing, if not for his Florida speech, hinting at a broader, long-term reason for supporting the president. In that conversation, Bannon urged supporters to “stick to the plan,” which hinged on riding Trump's campaign promises to retain control of both the House and the Senate. He appeared to be adhering to that plan now, despite the president's barbs and threat of a lawsuit against Bannon.
The two men Wednesday appeared to be trading insults in the press and in a new book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” by Michael Wolff. According to the book, Bannon criticized the president's daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, calling her “dumb as a brick.” Bannon also called Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer offering information to disparage former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton “treasonous.”
Trump also wanted to nominate a loyal supporter to the U.S. Supreme Court, not to someone he didn't know, like Neil Gorsuch, according to the book.
But back in November, Bannon heralded Trump as the greatest American leader of all time, saying Trump achieved more in his time in office than any of his counterparts, including “our beloved President Reagan.”
During his speech at “Politics in the Sunshine,” Bannon predicted an unrelenting effort by Trump opponents to impeach the president, and called on unwavering and focused support from Trump allies to prevent that outcome.
“The tough stuff's about to start. Even with the tax bill, the nullification project is not gonna to stop. I think anybody who was a Trump supporter … understands the president needs your support,” Bannon told the South Florida audience. “I keep telling you: stick with the plan. Stick with the plan. If you stick with the plan we're gonna pick up three or four seats in the Senate, in (2018) we'll hold the House, and he'll win with 400 electoral votes in 2020. And on that, I give you 100 percent metaphysical certainty.”
Trump lashed out Wednesday at the man credited with helping him cinch victory in the 2016 presidential election.
“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency,” Trump said in a statement from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind.”
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