Sean Penn is speaking out against President Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon, sharing his first-hand knowledge of who he calls a “conniving, hateful, bloated punk.
Penn told Death and Taxes, “Bannon was then, as he is now, simply another bitter Hollywood wannabe who went rogue by way of toxic narcissistic iconoclasm. But, deep in his heart, he’s just a conniving hateful bloated punk who despises mankind.”
“And then there are also the bad things about him, ” added Penn.
Bannon and Penn have history together dating back to 1991 when Penn made his directorial debut on “The Indian Runner,” which Bannon executive produced.
Penn’s comments come after Bannon was removed from National Security Council earlier this week.
The decision to remove Bannon was made by Trump, according to the Associated Press. It reverses an unpopular decision that Trump made when he named Bannon to the NSC in the first place, as many felt it was inappropriate for a political adviser to make decisions on national security matters.
A new memo published Wednesday on the Federal Register about the composition of the NSC no longer lists Bannon as a member of the Principal’s Committee — a group of high-ranking officials that assemble on pressing national security issues.
Bannon also has significant ties to Hollywood and invested in several movies that cater to the political right. He was an early investor in “Seinfeld.” Yes, the television show. You can read more about it here.
Wednesday’s decision to remove Bannon from the NSC could be a sign that Bannon doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the president on issues of national security. However, Bannon will remain Trump’s chief strategist and is known to be highly respected by the president.