Politics / Steve Bannon Trump Breaks Silence on Bannon's Departure 'Thanks S' By Michael Harthorne, Newser Staff Posted Aug 19, 2017 9:34 AM CDT Copied President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as walks to board on Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Md., Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, following a national security meeting at Camp David. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) "I want to thank Steve Bannon for his service. He came to the campaign during my run against Crooked Hillary Clinton - it was great! Thanks S," President Trump tweeted Saturday, commenting on his former chief strategist for the first time since the latter was removed from the White House. Politico notes that the tweet had a rosier tone than Trump took earlier this week when asked about Bannon's future, with the president saying, "Bannon came on very late" in the campaign, and, "We'll see what happens." In another Bannon tweet, the president wrote that Bannon "will be a tough and smart new voice at @BreitbartNews...maybe even better than ever before. Fake News needs the competition!" Fox News reports Trump had reportedly spent the past few months angered that Bannon was getting credit as the "brains" behind his political success. Meanwhile, Bannon has already returned to his former employer, Breitbart News, and vowed to go "to war for Trump." (More Steve Bannon stories.) Report an error