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Donald Trump refuses to back Steve Bannon as he springs to the defence of the 'alt-right'

Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's chief strategist - AP
Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's chief strategist - AP

President Donald Trump offered a lukewarm endorsement of his chief strategist Steve Bannon on Tuesday, answering a question about Mr Bannon's future with: "We'll see."

On the day that the New York Times published an account of Rupert Murdoch's meeting with Mr Trump, at which Mr Murdoch reportedly said the president should get rid of his controversial adviser, Mr Trump could only offer a meek backing.

"I like Mr Bannon," he said, answering with the decidedly tepid language he used to describe Reince Priebus. Mr Priebus was fired as chief of staff. 

The president continued: "He's a friend of mine. He is a good man. He is not a racist."

Profile | Steve Bannon
Profile | Steve Bannon

He then defended the cause close to Mr Bannon's heart - the so-called "alt right". Mr Bannon has described Breitbart, the website he formerly ran, as a platform for the white supremacists and neo-Nazis known as the "alt-right".

Mr Trump said that, in the chorus of condemnation against the white supremacists, they were ignoring the "very violent" counter protest.

"What about the alt-Left?" he said. 

"They came charging. They came swinging with clubs in their hands. Do they have any semblance of guilt? As far as I am concerned, they do.

"You had a group one one side that was bad, and another side that was very violent."