Breitbart News staffers have been asked by senior editors to quit writing negative stories about senior White House adviser Jared Kushner amid reports of infighting with Steve Bannon, according to Business Insider.
Bannon, the White House chief strategist and former Breitbart boss, has clashed with Trump’s son-in-law. He sees Kushner as an obstacle to influencing Trump’s political moves, according to the Daily Beast. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer even tried to downplay the feud during Monday’s press briefing.
Breitbart has been extremely critical of Kushner but has toned it down since the New York Times reported that President Trump told Bannon and Kushner to “work this out.” Bannon resigned from Breitbart News in November and has repeatedly said he no longer makes editorial decisions.
Breitbart News told Business Insider it was “an absurd suggestion that Breitbart would muzzle critical coverage of any senior White House official.”
The Times reported, “The president is said to be aware that a meaningful reconciliation will take work to achieve between Mr. Bannon, who sees himself as the keeper of Mr. Trump’s campaign promises, and the competing ideologies of Mr. Kushner.”
Bannon recently called Kushner a “cuck” behind his back, according to the The Daily Beast. The insult, popular among the conservative Breitbart News set, is short for “cuckold,” or the husband of an adulteress. Kushner was a lifelong Democrat until Trump’s campaign began.
Politico reported last week that Kushner has complained to other officials about Bannon’s attempts to “deconstruct the government,” which Kushner believes will hurt Trump.
Perhaps Breitbart refraining from bashing the president’s son-in-law is Bannon’s idea of attempting to make peace, but that remains to be seen.