Once noted by Time Magazine as the “Great Manipulator,” Steve Bannon, former Chief Strategist of President Trump, was fired on Aug. 19. According to the New York Times, the former Chief Strategist was perceived as crucial to President Trump’s administration, as he worked as a link to Trump’s populist base. Despite the key role that Bannon played in the Trump administration, he was forced out of the White House after subsequent highlights by the media on his influence in the administration.

“Bannon is a controversial figure that is involved with nationalism, sexism, and racism,” said Morgan Miller, teacher of US History. “Also, I think Steve Bannon was tired of working in the government. Bannon thought that he would have more effect at Breitbart.”

With Bannon’s exit of the White House, some noted that President Trump’s choice was due to Trump’s love of attention from the public. According to Politico, an American political journalism company, President Trump may have resented the amount of coverage that Bannon gained from the media on his influence in the administration. As critics referred to him as “President Bannon,” referencing to his immense power within the West Wing, disagreements between the President and Bannon may have arisen as the two drifted apart.

“My main belief is that once the new chief of staff came in, in order to kind of stabilize the White House and make sure that there were no divides between the staffers,” Jonathan Ames, a social studies teacher. “It was his opinion that Bannon was a divisive force. In many ways, once Charlottesville took place, the perception of Bannon being a supporter of alt-right movement made him more expendable in the short term. I think in some ways him being a scapegoat may be a reason.”

Others noted that a more prominent reason might have been his recent interview with the American Prospect, a conservative magazine. According to ABC News, Bannon promoted his own ideas which contradicted that the President’s, supporting the claim of John Kelly, new White House Chief of Staff, that Bannon had his own agenda and priorities that were not in line with the President’s. Furthermore, according to the New York Times, his disagreements with John Kelly and Ivanka and Jared Kushner may also have contributed to Bannon’s dismissal from the West Wing.

“I feel like this is a big change to the Trump administration,” said Joyce Kim (11). “But this is still a small step compared to how more things must change for improvement in the administration.”

While his absence was referred as to a huge loss in the administration, critiques argued that Steve Bannon is no longer crucial to the popularity of President Trump’s administration. According to the Guardian, even with his chief strategist gone, the President will not lose his base and will continue to be supported by the alt-right. Furthermore, according to the Atlantic, by firing Bannon, President Trump rather gained a powerful ally outside of the White House who is willing to go to unpredictable measures to support the President.

“Bannon will be still involved,” said Mr. Miller “He is still going to produce economic populist nationalism and produce a point of view that most would consider white supremacist at Breitbart.”