Harry Reid, GOP strategists slam Trump's top aide pick


Donald Trump's choice to name Stephen Bannon, his campaign's chief executive officer and the man described as turning a right-wing website into a "white ethno-nationalist propaganda mill," as his top aide in the White House has Democrats and Republicans alike speaking out.
A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the pick "signals that white supremacists will be represented at the highest levels in Trump's White House. It is easy to see why the KKK views Trump as their champion, when Trump appoints one of the foremost peddlers of white supremacist themes and rhetoric as his top aide."
While under his tutelage, the Breitbart website published such headlines as "Bill Kristol, Republican Spoiler, Renegade Jew," and, two weeks after the mass murder at a black church in South Carolina, "Hoist it high and proud: the confederate flag proclaims a glorious heritage." Bannon was also accused by his ex-wife of domestic violence, and telling her he didn't want to send their daughters to "school with Jews" because he "doesn't like Jews."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Republican strategist John Weaver sounded the alarm on Twitter Sunday evening, saying, "The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant America." Another GOP strategist, Ana Navarro, called Bannon a "white supremacist, anti-gay, anti-Semite, vindictive, scary-ass dude," and warned, "After vomiting, be afraid, America."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 educational cartoons about the Harvard pushback
Cartoons Artists take on academic freedom, institutional resistance, and more
By The Week US
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
Merz's coalition deal: a 'betrayal' of Germany?
Talking Point With liberalism, freedom and democracy under threat globally, it's a time for 'giants' – but this is a 'coalition of the timid'
By The Week UK
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Two judges bar war-powers deportations
Speed Read The Trump administration was blocked from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport more alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US