Steve Bannon was forced out of the White House after he labelled members of the white supremacist movement "clowns".

Mr Bannon downplayed the danger posed by Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi sympathisers and revealed his ambition to dominate anti-Trump groups focused on "race and identity" in an interview with left-wing magazine The American Prospect on Tuesday.

The Breitbart News boss's combative remarks came as Republicans and Democrats called for him to be removed from his post following Donald Trump's controversial response to the Charlottesville attacks which left one dead and dozens injured on 12 August.

Asked about racist elements of the far-right, Mr Bannon said: “Ethno-nationalism, it's losers. It's a fringe element. I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more.

“These guys are a collection of clowns.”

He said of the Democrats: "The longer they talk about identity politics, I got ’em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.”

Mr Bannon initiated the interview by calling The American Prospect days after Mr Trump declined to give assurances about the future of his role as chief strategist.

He appeared to be at odds with the President's stance on North Korea, claiming any threats of military action against Kim Jong-un's regime were unrealistic.

"Forget it. Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people in Seoul don’t die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I don’t know what you’re talking about, there’s no military solution here, they got us," he said.

Strategist Steve Bannon leaves Trump's turbulent White House

In his comments on China, Mr Bannon claimed he was moving people around the Trump administration to tackle what he described as an “economic war” with the Asian superpower.

"I'm changing out people at East Asian Defence; I'm getting hawks in," he added.

"I'm getting Susan Thornton [acting head of East Asian and Pacific Affairs] out at State. That’s a fight I fight every day here. We’re still fighting.

“We’re at economic war with China. It’s in all their literature. They’re not shy about saying what they’re doing. One of us is going to be a hegemon in 25 or 30 years and it’s gonna be them if we go down this path."

The right-wing ideologue, who helped the president win support from the "alt-right" during his election campaign, subsequently claimed he did not realise his comments were "on the record".

Following his departure from the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Bannon said the Trump presidency was "over".

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

The media mogul was considered a key influencer during Mr Trump's "America first" campaign and his early days in the White House, and was briefly awarded with a seat on the National Security Council's principals committee, the top interagency group overseeing national security.

His nationalist stances on issues like immigration, trade and society were reflected in Mr Trump's speeches and policies, and are widely seen as having drawn together the New York billionaire's support base after he joined the struggling campaign as chief executive last August.

But once in power he was forced to compete for influence with other advisers including members of Mr Trump's family.

Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, seen as being able to soften the President's tone and actions, both occupy official White House posts.

Mr Bannon failed to cling on to power during a turbulent period in the White House with a series of resignations and sackings at the highest level.

Mr Trump removed both Reince Priebus, his then chief of staff, and Anthony Scaramucci, briefly his communications director, in the space of four days.