(CNN) President Donald Trump's estranged adviser Steve Bannon told a far-right gathering in France on Saturday that they should handle accusations of racism with pride.

"Let them call you racists," Bannon said to the French National Front Party. "Let them call you xenophobes. Let them call you nativists. Wear it as a badge of honor."

Bannon told the National Front crowd that he had learned from traveling the world that "history is on our side" and that "the globalists have no answers to freedom."

At a news conference following his speech, Bannon gave his explanation for the recent high-profile staff departures from the White House.

In response to a question from CNN, Bannon said, "I think President Trump has been pretty straightforward in saying, hey, when we first started, some of these advisers are what he would call globalists, and he's clearly pivoting to more economic nationalism."

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