Things are currently not ideal in Donald Trump’s world, being that all anyone can talk about this week is Michael Wolff’s explosive tell-all from inside the Trump White House. But if there is a bright side to the whole thing, it’s that Wolff’s book has provided Trump with a Major Feud, which as we all know fuels his life force. After Steve Bannon was quoted on record harshly criticizing the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia, the White House issued a scathing statement alleging that Bannon had “lost his mind,” and soon after Trump’s lawyers fired off a cease and desist letter.
The feud also sparked the president’s creativity, leading him to coming up with his most inspired nickname in months, to the delight of many.
Even more savagely, on Thursday afternoon Trump reportedly got on the phone with GOP donor Rebekah Mercer, daughter of hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, and requested that she publicly cut all ties with Bannon, whom the family had once fully supported. Mercer complied, releasing a formal statement to the Washington Post on Thursday evening:
“I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected,” Mercer said. “My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements.”
Far be it from Trump to not take a victory lap, so he once again evoked his hot new nickname:
The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018
For what it’s worth, Wolff’s book allegedly had nothing to do with the rift between the Mercers and Bannon — however wins this succinct are far and few between for Trump, so we’ll just let him have this one.
Source: Mercer split w/Bannon began long before Wolff book. Real cause? Mercers vs. Bannon's proposed tax hike on millionaires.
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) January 5, 2018