Donald Trump’s campaign dismissed accusations that Stephen K. Bannon is a white supremacist and an anti-Semite on Wednesday morning, suggesting that critics are simply upset that they lost the election.
“That’s just folks that are bitter the election’s over,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller said to reporters at Trump Tower on Wednesday. “They didn’t get the result that they wanted.”
Miller defended Bannon as someone who had “very high character” who also expressed a commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
“I think he’ll do a great job working with chief of staff Reince Priebus … to implement President-elect Trump’s vision,” Miller said.
On Tuesday, retiring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid demanded on the Senate floor that Trump fire Bannon immediately.
“Rescind it. Don’t do it. Think about this. Don’t do it,” Reid pleaded, adding: “Instead of hiding behind your Twitter account, and show America that racism, bullying, and bigotry have no place in the White House or in America.”
Miller pushed back against reports by the New York Times and other media outlets that the transition was in disarray, asserting that the transition team was taking a “very structured methodical approach.”
“We’re going to make sure we get it right,” he said.
He reminded reporters that Obama didn’t announce his first cabinet position until late November, after winning in 2008.
Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway agreed, speaking to reporters at Trump tower just moments later.
“You don’t form a federal government overnight and these are very serious issues, very serious appointments, very serious considerations,” she said. “It’s not the kind of thing to rush through.”
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.