Bannon regrets slamming Trump family in new book

Former White House official Steve Bannon has said he regretted for the comments attributed to him that were critical of President Donald Trump's family in a new book, media reports said.

The former chief strategist was widely lambasted by members of the Trump administration for his participation in the newly released book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House", which was written by Michael Wolff, reports ABC News.

In it, Bannon was quoted as saying that the President's son participated in a "treasonous" meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Hillary Clinton in 2016.

"Donald Trump, Jr. is both a patriot and a good man," Bannon said in a statement on Sunday.

"He has been relentless in his advocacy for his father and the agenda that has helped turn our country around.

"I regret that my delay in responding to the inaccurate reporting regarding Don Jr. has diverted attention from the president's historical accomplishments in the first year of his presidency," he added.

Excerpts from the book caused a political firestorm last week.

Bannon zeroed in on the Donald Trump, Jr. for the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with the Russians which was also attended the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner and onetime campaign chief Paul Manafort.

"They're going to crack Don Junior like a egg on national TV," he said, referring to the ongoing investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"The chance that Don Jr. did not walk these jumos up to his father's office on the twenty-sixth floor is zero," he was also quoted as having said in the book.

The White House has lashed out against Wolff and the book, calling it a "work of fiction", ABC News reported.

Trump also expressed outrage over Bannon's participation in it, calling his former aide "Sloppy Steve" and a "staffer who worked for me".

"I guess sloppy Steve brought him into the White House quite a bit, and it was one of those things. That's why sloppy Steve is now looking for a job," Trump tweeted on Sunday.

The President also distanced himself from Bannon last week.

"Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency... When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind."

Bannon had managed to stay in Trump's orbit before earning his ire, reports Politico news.

Although he was fired in August, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said recently that Trump and Bannon spoke in December.

--IANS

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