Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon reportedly characterized Vice President Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election McConnell urges GOP senators to 'keep your powder dry' on Supreme Court vacancy MORE as an “unfortunate necessity” during the 2016 presidential election.

Bannon used the phrase to describe Pence after he was chosen to be Trump’s running mate, according to BuzzFeed News, which acquired emails written by Bannon in July of 2016.

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"Seems like a bad pick. Should I tweet something ambivalent about him? People are telling me Trump likely didn't want this. ...What's our party line on this?" former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos wrote to Bannon, who helmed Breitbart at the time.

"This is the price we pay for cruzbots and #nevertrump movement," Bannon wrote back, according to the emails disclosed in the BuzzFeed report.

"An unfortunate necessity...very. feel free to do whatever u want. we, as always, will remain above it all."

Bannon joined Trump's campaign in August of 2016 as its chief executive officer.

Trump's former top strategist, who left the White House in August and has since returned to Breitbart, said in a Monday interview that he is focused on challenging Republican establishment lawmakers in the 2018 midterm elections.

"There's a coalition coming together that is going to challenge every Republican incumbent except for [Texas Sen.] Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzVideo of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Democrat on Graham video urging people to 'use my words against me': 'Done' MORE," Bannon told Fox News’ “Hannity.”