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

(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/60 Minutes)

published 11 September 2017

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

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.