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Breitbart editors 'duped by British prankster with emails purporting to be from Steve Bannon'

Steve Bannon: The chief White House strategist has criticised far-right groups for being 'clowns': AP
Steve Bannon: The chief White House strategist has criticised far-right groups for being 'clowns': AP

A self-confessed British "prankster" fooled top editors at Breitbart after pretending to be ex-chief White House strategist Steve Bannon.

Email exchanges shared by the prankster began with a message to Breitbart editors from an account masquerading as Mr Bannon's.

In the emails, Breitbart staff discussed doing "the dirty work" against US President Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner.

In other emails, Editor-in-chief Alex Marlow said he could have the pair ousted from the White House by "end of year".

Fellow editor Joel Pollak replied: "No-one can figure out what they do."

Mr Marlow tried to brush off the exchange saying it was no more revealing than the pages of Breitbart.

"The obsession with Breitbart News is simply a result of our effectiveness," he told CNN.

"This time, an imposter deceitfully obtained and shared with CNN tongue-in-cheek emails that revealed we feel Globalists present an existential threat to the agenda that got President Trump elected."

The prankster, who tweets under the name @SINON_REBORN describes himself as a "lazy anarchist".

He told the BBC: "I don't care much for the Trump administration or Breibart.

"Originally I was trying to get an email for [Steve Bannon] while he was in the WHite House, because he seemed like quite a character."

But when this proved difficult, the prankster said they had decided to try tricking the editors at the right-wing website instead.

"I've not really immersed myself in politics prior to [Trump's election]," he added.

"It's a never-ending soap opera that's on 27/7."

Steve Bannon left his role at the White House on Friday amid rumours he was pushed out by Trump's new chief of staff John Kelly.