President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE on Thursday took another shot at Stephen Bannon in the midst of a war of words between them, saying he does not speak to his onetime close political ally.

“I don’t talk to him," Trump told reporters.

The president claimed it was “just a misnomer” that he continues to talk to the Breitbart News chief and former chief strategist, who reportedly revealed damaging information to the author Michael Wolff for a forthcoming book on the early days of Trump's presidency.

ADVERTISEMENT

The president also sought to undercut Bannon's criticisms of him and his family, noting Bannon did not repeat them in a Wednesday night radio interview.

“I don’t know, he called me a great man last night," Trump said. "So he obviously changed his tune pretty quick.”

The comments came during Trump’s first public appearance since Bannon’s comments in the book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” shook Washington after they were made public Wednesday.

Bannon said it was “treasonous” and “unpatriotic” for Donald Trump Jr. Don John Trump'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic requests pardon from Trump: 'Be my hero please' Zaid Jilani discusses Trump's move to cancel racial sensitivity training at federal agencies Trump International Hotel in Vancouver closes permanently MORE, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner Jared Corey KushnerAbraham Accords: New hope for peace in Middle East Tenants in Kushner building file lawsuit alleging dangerous living conditions Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing MORE and campaign chairman Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortBannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention Ukraine language in GOP platform underscores Trump tensions MORE to meet with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign in the hopes of obtaining damaging information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE.

The ex-aide also questioned Trump’s grasp of policy and politics.

In a blistering statement on Wednesday, Trump said Bannon has “lost his mind” and accused him of being “only in it for himself.”

Trump’s team stepped up its offensive against the book late Wednesday and into Thursday. A personal lawyer for the president threatened to sue Bannon, Wolff and the book’s publisher and demanded that the book release be canceled.

Following the president's disavowal and the legal threats, the former White House strategist said he remains a staunch supporter of Trump.

"The president of the United States is a great man," Bannon said on the "Breitbart News Tonight" program on SiriusXM Radio. "You know I support him day in and day out."

Trump has made Bannon public enemy No. 1 in his campaign to discredit the book. But the president had remained on decent terms with Bannon in the months after his ouster last August.

Despite Trump's claim, the White House acknowledged on Wednesday the two men had spoken as recently as early December.

Updated 12:32 p.m.