--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the first two weeks of the Donald…" description: "\"Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White House. The New Y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/amy-goodman-19343_competence_over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-t_48530.jpg" --- # Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump… ![“Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White House. The New York Times ran an editorial posing the question, "President Bannon?" wrote, quote, "We've never witnessed a political aide move as brazenly to…” quote by Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/amy-goodman-19343_competence_over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-t_48530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/amy-goodman-19343_competence_over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-t_48530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/amy-goodman-19343_competence_over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-t_48530.jpg) > “Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White House. The New York Times ran an editorial posing the question, "President Bannon?" wrote, quote, "We've never witnessed a political aide move as brazenly to consolidate power as Stephen Bannon - nor have we seen one do quite so much damage so quickly to his putative boss's popular standing or pretenses of competence."” [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bannon's rapid consolidation of influence within the Trump White House illustrates how a senior aide can dominate policy and perception, often at the expense of the president's credibility. **In simple terms:** Power dynamics in political staff Key Takeaway Aides can eclipse elected leaders Themes political power leadership media influence institutional trust campaign strategy Mood critical cautious analytical Type analysis commentary observation When to use this quote - white house staffing - campaign transitions - media analysis - political crisis management Key Concepts authority consolidation executive-legislative relations public perception Practical Applications - strategic communications - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How does staff influence shape presidential authority? - What safeguards can limit unchecked aide power? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Pretense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretense/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [I think choosing Steve Bannon as a chief strategist this is a stunning, historic decision for Donald Trump in a bad way. Stephen Bannon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/i-think-choosing-steve-bannon-as-a-chief-strategist-this-is-a/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [“the three men working hardest to maneuver the president—Bannon, Kushner, and Priebus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-three-men-working-hardest-to-maneuver-the-president-bannon/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [ Conservative activists want \[Stephen\] Bannon, somebody who has spent much of the past two years trying to destroy speaker of the House, Paul Ryan. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/conservative-activists-want-stephen-bannon-somebody-who-has-spent/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [It is hard to imagine a choice more stark than the choice between Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican Party, a clear establishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/it-is-hard-to-imagine-a-choice-more-stark-than-the-choice-between/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [I was deputy assistant to the president. My job was strategist in the office of the chief strategist, Stephen Bannon. Somebody once described me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/i-was-deputy-assistant-to-the-president-my-job-was-strategist-in-the/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“Trump might have appointed a less-eerie chief to replace Manafort. But instead he doubled-down, choosing the even eerier Stephen Bannon. Bannon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/trump-might-have-appointed-a-less-eerie-chief-to-replace-manafort-but/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [ A lot of that will depend on who the person is on \[Donald\] Trump's, you know, right hand side, whether it's \[Stephen\] Bannon or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/a-lot-of-that-will-depend-on-who-the-person-is-on-donald-trump-s-you/) [George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/) > [“The idea of Donald Trump and Alex Jones and Roger Stone and Stephen Bannon having power over us — that is terrifying. THE END”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/the-idea-of-donald-trump-and-alex-jones-and-roger-stone-and-stephen/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“Trump did not enjoy his own inauguration. He had hoped for a big blowout. Tom Barrack, the would-be showman—in addition to Michael Jackson’s Neverland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/trump-did-not-enjoy-his-own-inauguration-he-had-hoped-for-a-big/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“Bannon, for instance, even driven by his imperative just to get things done, did not use a computer. How did he do anything? Katie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/bannon-for-instance-even-driven-by-his-imperative-just-to-get-things/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [There's a guy named Richard Spencer, who is the intellectual guru of the movement, according to Breitbart and he says, basically - this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/there-s-a-guy-named-richard-spencer-who-is-the-intellectual-guru-of/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [There are real issues that the president Donald Trump and particularly Steve Bannon, his political adviser, are pushing. It's a vision, a rather dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franklin-jeffrey/there-are-real-issues-that-the-president-donald-trump-and/) [James Franklin Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franklin-jeffrey/) > [I think Steve Bannon is much to-do about nothing. I think this is a guy who wants to create his own myth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-navarro/i-think-steve-bannon-is-much-to-do-about-nothing-i-think-this-is-a/) [Ana Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-navarro/) > [Has Donald Trump ever called himself a populist? I don't think Donald Trump's ever called himself a populist. I think other people have called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/has-donald-trump-ever-called-himself-a-populist-i-don-t-think-donald/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Steve Bannon, too, needs to be a unifier, doesn't he, as the senior adviser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/steve-bannon-too-needs-to-be-a-unifier-doesn-t-he-as-the-senior/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) ## More by Amy Goodman > [Whether you vote for me or you don't vote for me, I really want to be your greatest champion. And I will be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/whether-you-vote-for-me-or-you-don-t-vote-for-me-i-really-want-to-be/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [People who are against hate are not a fringe minority, not even a silent majority, but are a silenced majority, silenced by the corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/people-who-are-against-hate-are-not-a-fringe-minority-not-even-a/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [I really do think that if for one week in the United States we saw the true face of war, we saw people's limbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/i-really-do-think-that-if-for-one-week-in-the-united-states-we-saw/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [Going to where the silence is. That is the responsibility of a journalist: giving a voice to those who have been forgotten, forsaken, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/going-to-where-the-silence-is-that-is-the-responsibility-of-a/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [While law-abiding Muslims are forced to hide in their homes, and animal-rights activists are labeled as terrorists for undercover filming of abusive treatment at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/while-law-abiding-muslims-are-forced-to-hide-in-their-homes-and/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [Go to where the silence is and say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/go-to-where-the-silence-is-and-say-something/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [I've learned in my years as a journalist that when a politician says 'That's ridiculous' you're probably on the right track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/i-ve-learned-in-my-years-as-a-journalist-that-when-a-politician-says/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [Independent media can go to where the silence is and break the sound barrier, doing what the corporate networks refuse to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/independent-media-can-go-to-where-the-silence-is-and-break-the-sound/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [Journalism is the only profession explicitly protected by the U.S. Constitution, because journalists are supposed to be the check and balance on government. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/journalism-is-the-only-profession-explicitly-protected-by-the-u-s/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The media is absolutely essential to the functioning of a democracy. It's not our job to cozy up to power. We're supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/the-media-is-absolutely-essential-to-the-functioning-of-a-democracy/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [But for the media to name their coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq the same as what the Pentagon calls it—everyday seeing 'Operation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/but-for-the-media-to-name-their-coverage-of-the-2003-invasion-of-iraq/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The media—stenographers to power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/the-media-stenographers-to-power/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [ \[The media can be\] the greatest force for peace on the earth \[for\] it is how we come to understand each other. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/the-media-can-be-the-greatest-force-for-peace-on-the-earth-for-it-is/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [A typical Ponzi scheme involves taking money from investors, then paying them off with money taken from new investors, rather than paying them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/a-typical-ponzi-scheme-involves-taking-money-from-investors-then/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [War coverage should be more than a parade of retired generals and retired government flacks posing as reporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/war-coverage-should-be-more-than-a-parade-of-retired-generals-and/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) [Explore all 33 Amy Goodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) ## More Competence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) > [Competence was attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/competence-was-attractive/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) Browse all 452 Competence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White House. 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