Steve Bannon 'fired' as Donald Trump's chief strategist

Steve Bannon has been fired from his role as Donald Trump's chief strategist, according to US media.

Senior White House officials have reportedly told NBC that the former Breitbart News editor is leaving the President's administration.

Bannon was a key adviser to Trump's general election campaign and has been a forceful but contentious presence in a divided White House.

He pushed the President to follow through with his campaign promises but has also sparred with some of his closest advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner.

White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday would be Mr Bannon's last day on the job.

"We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," she said in a statement confirming reports of Mr Bannon's departure.

The 63-year-old was reportedly pushed out by Trump's new chief of staff John Kelly, who replaced the ousted Reince Priebus in July.

Days after Kelly's appointment, Anthony Scaramucci was removed from his role as White House communications chief.

In the wake of the Charlottesville clashes, Bannon blasted far-right white nationalists as “clowns” and “losers”.

He made the comments amid fall-out caused by President Trump’s refusal to explicitly blame neo-Nazis for violence at the anti-racism protest over the weekend.

Mr Bannon was once the leader of far-right news site Breitbart - a publication credited for boosting Mr Trump’s election campaign and blamed by many for legitimising the views of white nationalists.

But in a surprise intervention he condemned white nationalists after an anti-fascist protester was killed during unrest in Virginia.