Amid reports that the fate of White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon could be decided Friday, a group of influential conservatives is telling President Trump in a letter that Mr. Bannon and counselor Kellyanne Conway are among his most valuable advisers, The Washington Times has learned.
“While others may come and go in the White House, we feel sure that with Steve and Kellyanne at your side, you will always hear the voices of those of us who have supported you through thick and thin, despite the efforts by some to ’manage’ you and your message,” the conservatives wrote in a letter obtained by The Times.
Among those signing the letter are Jenny Beth Martin, president of Tea Party Patriots; Richard Manning, president of Americans for Limited Government; Star Parker, president of UrbanCure; Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association; Richard Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com; and Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy.
The letter came just about an hour before the news broke that Mr. Bannon had indeed been ousted from his White House post.
Mr. Bannon, who is viewed by many as the president’s link to the “alt-right” movement, is facing increasing calls for his ouster after the violent white nationalist rally last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.
There have been no suggestions that Ms. Conway’s job is in jeopardy; Mr. Manning said the letter is simply affirming that two presidential aides work well together on the president’s behalf.
The group of conservatives praised Mr. Trump’s achievements to date, including “strong” judicial nominations and withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and said Mr. Bannon and Ms. Conway have been instrumental in helping him to keep his agenda on track.
“While the media buffets your presidency on a daily basis, we take comfort in knowing that Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway are both ably working for you to assist you in weathering these unfair attacks and keeping your agenda front and center,” they wrote.
As the president moves forward with his agenda, they said, “it is important that those who have been your staunchest supporters know that they are not being drowned out by the Swamp which, due to its nature, seeks to engulf the White House.”
“Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway provide that assurance that you will always have people close to you who support your vision — and ours — for this great nation,” they wrote.
The group also thanked Mr. Trump for his “efforts to refocus the military away from social engineering and back to its core mission of protecting America’s interests in the face of pressures from within and outside the administration, as well as the exceptional efforts by your Department of Justice to begin enforcing the law of the land against those who would subvert it.”
“It is important that the Trump administration keep its promises on immigration policy,” they said. “It is important that trade policy and future trade deals are built around America’s interests and not those of multi-national corporations who have lost their way. It is important that our nation’s defenses become better focused, as well as better equipped, after almost sixteen years of non-stop war.”
Also signing the letter were Tom Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance; J. Christian Adams, president of the Public Interest Legal Foundation; Becky Gerritson of the Wetumpka TEA Party in Alabama; Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America; George Rasley, managing editor of ConservativeHQ.com; Clare M. Lopez of the Center for Security Policy; Philip B. Haney, a retired Customs and Border Patrol Officer; Ginni Thomas of Liberty Consulting; author Tim Daughtry; radio talk-show host Sandy Rios of the American Family Association; investigative journalist James Simpson of Crisisnow.net; and author Stella Morabito.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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