Stephen Bannon tells Charlie Rose that Trump firing James Comey was a historically momentous mistake

CBS News anchor Charlie Rose's interview with Stephen Bannon, Breitbart News chairman and former White House chief strategist, aired on Sunday night's 60 Minutes, and Bannon was only slightly coy when Rose asked him about President Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey. Bannon said he wouldn't disclose private conversations he had with Trump, but when Rose said somebody had quoted Bannon as calling Comey's firing "the biggest mistake in political history," Bannon said only that such a pronouncement "probably would be too bombastic even for me, but maybe modern political history." Rose asked him if, as reported, Trump's son in law and senior adviser Jared Kushner was in favor of firing Comey, and Bannon demurred.

Without Comey's sacking, there would be no investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Bannon agreed, and he said he opposed the idea of firing Mueller, too.

Elsewhere in the interview, Bannon told Rose why he thinks Trump is smarter than Hillary Clinton, and in the clip below, how Trump's sexually toxic Access Hollywood tape was a "litmus test" for Bannon — and how New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) failure to pass that test cost him a Cabinet position. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up