It is "infinitely safer" for President Donald Trump to keep chief strategist Steve Bannon inside the White House rather than boot him amid reported infighting, according to political commentator Charles Krauthammer.
In comments Wednesday on Fox News' "Special Report," Krauthammer pointed out the potential downside if Bannon were to be ousted – including, as host Bret Baier suggested, "hammering from the right, 'This is what you're not doing, President Trump."
"I think that's exactly why he is likely to stay on," Krauthammer said. "Because if you calculate, as you just did, it's infinitely safer to keep him inside the tent, to keep him on the periphery perhaps, but keeping an eye on him."
"He's not an enemy, but he could be a potential one if he gets kicked out, particularly in a humiliating way, particularly if it's portrayed in the press as a clash between sort of a newcomer, [senior adviser] Jared Kushner," he added.
Krauthammer noted it seems "Bannonism is in decline" in the White House, given how the recent foreign policy steps of the Trump administration are at odds with what the president spoke about in his inaugural address.
"The foreign policy is now being run by, or at least guided by, the old-boy network of the generals that he has appointed," Krauthammer said. "And in defense of national security, they're the ones who gave him . . . the backing, and the outlines of Syria strike, and if I were Trump, I would keep Bannon around on a leash and having as little influence, at least on these issues, as you can."
Mediaite posted a video of the remarks.
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