Former White House strategist Stephen Bannon believes that US President Donald Trump most likely would not be able to keep his post in the event of an impeachment vote, if it took place, the magazine Vanity Fair reported.
According to the magazine, citing sources, Bannon had conducted a study, on which members of the government would remain loyal to Trump, if the 25th amendment to the US Constitution (on early termination of the president’s duties) were applied. Bannon and ex-adviser to Trump’s campaign headquarters, Roger Stone, believe that the representatives of the Republican Party “are waiting for a chance to impose a Trump impeachment,” the report said.
“One thing Steve wants Trump to do is take this more seriously. Stop joking around. Stop tweeting,” a source close to Bannon said, as quoted by the publication.
According to the publication’s sources, Bannon told Trump during telephone calls on Monday and Tuesday that the president needed to install an assertive lawyer to stand above his lawyer Ty Cobb, who is in charge of managing issues related to the ongoing investigations into alleged Russian interference in the election and possible collusion by Moscow with the Trump campaign. Also, Bannon discussed two methods of putting pressure on Congress, in order to deprive US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of financing or limit its scope.
The US Congress is currently investigating Russia’s alleged meddling in last year’s US presidential election. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been carrying out a similar investigation. A number of hearings regarding the issue have been held in Congress, but intelligence service officials have not provided any evidence, claiming that the information is confidential. Russia denies meddling in the 2016 US election, calling the accusations absurd.
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his campaign deputy and former business associate Richard Gates were indicted by a federal grand jury on 12 counts, including the violation of the law on foreign agents and money laundering. The prosecution believes that during the term of Victor Yanukovych, as President of Ukraine, Manafort and Gates engaged in a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign in the United States on behalf of Yanukovych and his government.
In summer, two Democratic Congressmen, Brad Sherman and Al Green, called for impeaching Trump because he had allegedly obstructed justice during the investigation of the “ties” of his presidential campaign to Russia. On Tuesday, a fresh poll revealed US voters’ support for impeaching Donald Trump had reached a record high of 49 percent.