Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is considering buying an established media brand such as the struggling Newsweek.
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is considering buying an established media brand such as the struggling Newsweek.
Bannon, who was forced out of his old gig as the head of the ultra-conservative Breitbart News, told The New York Times that he’s interested in either launching or buying a site to use as a populist news platform.
“Whether I do it or a local entrepreneur does it, there are going to be these populist nationalist news sites that pop up in the next year online,” he said. “That will only take these things to the next level.”
Bannon said he is also “working on a project to create a think tank to ‘weaponize’ populist economic and social ideas,” he told The Times.
Newsweek, meanwhile, is in dire straits after a string of top level departures, a raid by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and an investigation into the company’s financial ties to a mysterious church-linked university.
Bannon was in France on Saturday, bringing his closed-borders, anti-trade, anti-foreigner message to members of the country’s struggling far-right National Front party.
“History is on our side,” he told the crowd of Marine Le Pen supporters.
Since taking over the National Front’s presidency in 2011, Le Pen has worked to change the party’s image, known for its racism and anti-Semitism.
But Bannon offered a ringing endorsement of the party’s core beliefs.
“You’re part of a worldwide movement bigger than France, bigger than Italy,” Bannon told the gathering, denouncing central banks, central governments and “crony capitalists.”
“Let them call you racist. Let them call you xenophobes. Let them call you nativists. Wear it as a badge of honor,” he said.
The appearance was part of a European tour as he seeks an international platform for his message.
Bannon was booted from the White House last year amid tensions and stepped down as chairman of the Breitbart News Network in January after being dubbed “Sloppy Steve” by the President for providing information to the author of a controversial White House tell all.
With News Wire Services
