As the Trump administration begins its first week without its chief strategist Steve Bannon, we ask what effect his removal has on White House policy and Breitbart News.
Bannon, who shared the president’s nationalist tendencies, departed the White House last week after serving for seven months.
His exit is the latest in a string of high-profile West Wing departures and controversies. It came amid deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia during which Trump equated white supremacists and neo-Nazis with left-wing protesters who stood against them.
Trump said both sides were to blame for the violence in Charlottesville during a press conference intended to review his new infrastructure plan. On the show today, we’ll circle back to the shakeups in the federal permitting process for new bridges and highways.
We’ll look into an article published in The Guardian on Monday about Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his efforts to bring back the tough policies in effect during the United States’ war on drugs. Trump is also expected to deliver a prime-time speech on Afghanistan and updates to the country’s military presence there Monday night.
We have a preview of his anticipated remarks.
Over the weekend, Trump also tweeted about Boston’s “free speech” rally.
I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!
I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2017
On Saturday, tens of thousands of counter protesters attempted to quell the Boston rally, which they feared would be attended by white-supremacist groups. In Laguna Beach, a regular monthly pro-Trump “America First!” vigil also attracted a sizable group of counter-protesters. We have details from both events.
Guests:
Charles Kesler, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and editor of the Claremont Review of Books
Caroline Heldman, associate professor of politics at Occidental College and author of the forthcoming book, “Protest Politics in the Marketplace: Consumer Activism in the Corporate Age” (Cornell University Press, 2017); she tweets
