U.S. Sen. Jack Reed commended Steve Bannon’s demotion from a permanent seat at the National Security Council’s principals committee. President Donald Trump’s chief political strategist made news when he was guaranteed a seat in the meetings that help guide American foreign policy and national security.
In a statement Wednesday, Reed called Bannon’s removal a “positive step.”
“Steve Bannon had no business being on the National Security Council to begin with,” said Reed.
Reed is a ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. At hearing about the NSC shakeup in the first days of the Trump presidency, he expressed concerns over politicizing the principals committee.
The principals meetings, attended by the director of National Intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had been designed to keep politics out of national security and foreign policy decisions. Guaranteeing Bannon- former executive chairman of Breitbart News- a seat at meetings raised fears that would change.
Although Reed applauded Bannon’s demotion, he was critical of the questions that remain over Bannon’s future role in the NSC.
“In classic Trump Administration style, it seems there is confusion over whether he will still participate in future NSC meetings,” said Reed.
