As controversial of a White House figure Steve Bannon reportedly was, he could prove to be even more caustic outside of the administration, sources told The Atlantic.

"He's going nuclear," a source close to Bannon told the Atlantic after his departure Friday. "You have no idea. This is gonna be really f–ing bad."

Bannon's future is not determined, but his media savvy, ideology, populism, nationalism, and perceived "unpredictability" leaves open a number of possible ways he might damage the administration, according to the report, potentially with scorched earth.

"Steve is now unchained — fully unchained," another source told the Atlantic.

Sources say Bannon has felt the administration is a "failing," "sinking ship," according to the report, and his future includes a potential return to right-wing website Breitbart News or potentially serving as a Trump ally under billionaire Republican donors Robert and Rebekah Mercer.

"First, he's gonna figure things out with Bob and Bekah," a source told the Atlantic. "Breitbart's certainly the likely landing spot."

The scorched earth approach might come in having lost in the ballyhooed inner-circle battle with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.

"Why would he help them from the outside at this point?" a the Atlantic source asked. "Run the outside group and then Jared Kushner takes credit?"

With the various reports Bannon and Kushner could not get along in the White House, now apart it could lead to a corrosive situation for the administration, potentially.

"When Steve feels the Trump administration is wrong, will he point to the people he has the inside knowledge about who are pushing for certain policies?" a source told the Atlantic. "I assume he will."