Congressman Elijah Cummings Issues Statement on Steve Bannon’s Removal from the National Security Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jennifer Werner
April 5, 2017
(202) 226-5181

Washington, D.C. (April 5, 2017) – Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after President Donald Trump removed chief White House strategist Steve Bannon from his role on the National Security Council (NSC):

“On January 28, President Trump reorganized the NSC to let Steve Bannon serve on the principals committee—a role he was wholly unqualified for—and now the President reportedly has removed him. We need to know what in the world is going on. One key question is whether Mr. Bannon was involved in any way with the dealings between NSC staffers and Chairman Nunes or his trip to the White House. We asked the White House to tell us by this Friday whether National Security Advisor McMaster or White House Counsel McGahn was personally aware of these activities and whether anyone else at the White House was involved.”

Last Friday, Cummings sent a letter to White House Counsel Donald McGahn and National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster asking when they became aware that their own staff members reportedly contacted House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, facilitated his entry into the White House complex, and provided him with access to review classified information. Cummings requested the information by this Friday.