After the release of excerpts of a new book by Michael Wolff allegedly showing Steve Bannon criticizing Trump's son, Donald, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the White House released an uncharacteristically long statement denouncing Bannon that says, in part:

Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my [p]residency.  When he was fired, he not only lost his job[;] he lost his mind.  Steve was a staffer who worked for me after I had already won the nomination by defeating seventeen candidates, often described as the most talented field ever assembled in the Republican [P]arty.

Steve pretends to be at war with the media, which he calls the opposition party, yet he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media to make himself seem far more important than he was.  It is the only thing he does well. 

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore.

In other words, Bannon is accused of being self-aggrandizing.  Where have we heard that before?  I think it was just a few months ago, from former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci:

Scaramucci also told me that, unlike other senior officials, he had no interest in media attention.  "I'm not Steve Bannon[.] ... I'm not trying to build my own brand off the [f------] strength of the President.  I'm here to serve the country."

And now we have President Trump basically saying the same thing!

Donald Trump, Jr. confirmed this:

Donald Trump[,] Jr. on Wednesday said former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci "pretty much nailed it" when he ripped White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon during a July phone call with a reporter.

Scaramucci joined in on the backlash, tweeting, "I said what I said in the Summer take out the expletives and pay closer attention."

Scaramucci is denying reports that he is returning to the White House while admitting that he talks to the president from time to time.

What do you think?  Is Scaramucci right that Bannon is guilty of satisfying his own personal desires at the expense of his former political partner, President Trump?  Or is Trump simply jealous over Bannon's potency with conservative media, which credits him with many of Trump's achievements?

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.