Steve Bannon has stepped down from his role as the head of Breitbart News Network, the site reported today.
Bannon has served as the far-right news site’s executive chairman since 2012, taking a break in 2016 and 2017 to help run now-President Donald Trump’s campaign and then serve in his administration.
The news was first reported by The New York Times and then was announced on Breitbart’s news site.
Breitbart’s announcement included a quote from Bannon, saying he is “proud of what the Breitbart team has accomplished in so short a period of time in building out a world-class news platform.”
The Breitbart announcement states that Bannon will be helping the company ensure “a smooth and orderly transition,” and Breitbart CEO Larry Solov praised Bannon as “a valued part of our legacy.”
Bannon was forced to resign from his position at the White House on Aug. 18, nearly seven months after starting as the president’s chief strategist.
Upon his departure, Bannon rejoined Breitbart News.
Bannon has been at the center of a firestorm in D.C. since the release of a controversial book about the Trump administration called “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”
Bannon was quoted extensively in the book, some of which Trump viewed negatively. Trump’s attorneys sent Bannon a cease and desist letter, demanding he refrain from making disparaging comments against the president and his family.
The comments created a public rift between the president and his former adviser, with Trump releasing a harsh, lengthy statement about Bannon and later following that with some name-calling tweets, dubbing Bannon “Sloppy Steve.”
On Jan. 4, ABC News reported that the feud created tensions between Bannon and billionaire Republican donor Rebekah Mercer, who is a Breitbart stakeholder.
The White House has not yet responded to ABC News’ request for comment. A spokesperson for Bannon did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
