Bob Costa: Steve Bannon Is Isolated Inside the W.H.

EXCERPT:

COSTA: "I heard that Bannon is isolated but he still is close with Stephen Miller, still friendly with several cabinet officials such as General Mattis and the director of the CIA, Mike Pompeo. He remains close to the president. With Kushner there is definitely a divide. But remember, you know this, Joe, that Kushner and Bannon became close during the campaign. They still have a rapport of sorts, but it’s a divide on policy. It’s not like they’re warring on personal matters but it’s really about the direction of the presidency. I’m told Kushner is rattled by some of the poll numbers. He wants to see Trump do more that’s mainstream, that’s tax cuts, that’s centrist, that's not disruption or deconstruction of the administrative state, to use a Bannon term. And that’s -- that's the real divide. Trump though, as we've seen throughout his career is OK with these competing power centers and he hasn’t chosen which side exactly. But as we’ve always known covering Trump, the family, and in particular Kushner, win out usually in these arguments."