Trump aide: Bannon’s experience crushing ‘left-wing rivals’ an asset on NSC

An aide to President Trump says Stephen Bannon’s experiences at Breitbart News will be an asset for the president’s chief strategist in his new role on the National Security Council (NSC).

“I think you need to look at what Stephen Bannon did in terms of building a media giant that has crushed its left-wing rivals in terms of a breitbart.com,” Sebastian Gorka told NPR earlier this week when asked how Bannon’s experience in the media is relevant to national security.

“I think one has to look at what he did for the Trump campaign to understand that this is a man who eats and breathes and sleeps strategy.”

{mosads}Gorka said Bannon, who previously served as the chairman of Breitbart News, has a “truly strategic mind.”

Trump signed an executive action last month that gives Bannon a seat on the NSC, which traditionally has been composed solely of top administration officials specializing in foreign affairs and national security.

The memorandum also said the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would attend the meetings only for “issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise.”

The president has faced backlash after adding Bannon to the NSC, with lawmakers arguing that national security decisions should be made apart from political concerns.

A Democratic lawmaker earlier this week introduced legislation that if passed would kick Bannon off the NSC.