President Donald Trump said Monday he can "understand fully" why his "friend" and former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon has declared war on the Republican establishment.
"I can understand where Steve Bannon is coming from," Trump said. Praising his former adviser's commitment "to getting things done," he added, "I know how he feels," NBC News reported.
Trump's comments came just an hour before the president was scheduled to have lunch with McConnell.
But after their lunch, Trump said that while Bannon is doing what he "thinks is the right thing," he will try to talk Bannon out of seeking primaries against some Senate Republicans.
