President Trump took to Twitter Saturday afternoon to praise Steve Bannon’s return to Breitbart News. Bannon departed from his role as Chief White House Strategist on Friday and returned to his old stomping grounds that evening to lead the news network’s editorial meeting.

“Steve Bannon will be a tough and smart new voice at @BreitbartNews…maybe even better than ever before. Fake News needs the competition!”, tweeted President Trump.

Steve Bannon will be a tough and smart new voice at @BreitbartNews…maybe even better than ever before. Fake News needs the competition! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2017

Earlier in the day, President Trump thanked Bannon for his service.

“I want to thank Steve Bannon for his service. He came to the campaign during my run against Crooked Hillary Clinton – it was great! Thanks S”

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I want to thank Steve Bannon for his service. He came to the campaign during my run against Crooked Hillary Clinton – it was great! Thanks S — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2017

Former Chief White House Strategist and current executive chairman of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, is wasting no time in expanding the leading populist news network. Bannon is reportedly plotting a television channel to rival Fox News. Strikingly, the idea was first proposed by former Fox News CEO, the late Roger Ailes.

Axios reports:

Axios’ Jonathan Swan hears Bannon has told friends he sees a massive opening to the right of Fox News, raising the possibility that he’s going to start a network.

Bannon’s friends are speculating about whether it will be a standalone TV network, or online streaming only.

Before his death in May, Roger Ailes had sent word to Bannon that he wanted to start a channel together. Bannon loved the idea: He believes Fox is heading in a squishy, globalist direction as the Murdoch sons assume more power.

Now he has the means, motive and opportunity: His chief financial backer, Long Island hedge fund billionaire Bob Mercer, is ready to invest big in what’s coming next, including a huge overseas expansion of Breitbart News.

Axios has more:

Before Roger Ailes’ death on May 18, he expressed a final wish to some of his few remaining confidants: to get back in the game, with a conservative network that would position itself to the right of Fox News, as his baby became more moderate under the next generation of Murdoch leadership. In his final days, Ailes sent a message to Steve Bannon in the White House that he’d love to team up on a new conservative media powerhouse.

What we hear: Bannon, who otherwise would have been intrigued by the notion, had no desire to leave the White House. So Ailes’ last big idea remained just that.

Steve Bannon returned ‘home’ to Breitbart News as Executive Chairman Friday afternoon shortly after it was announced that he departed from the White House as Chief Strategist to President Trump.

Steve Bannon returned to Breitbart on Friday and chaired the company’s evening editorial meeting.

Breitbart News reported:

Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon returned as Executive Chairman of Breitbart News Friday afternoon and chaired the company’s evening editorial meeting. “The populist-nationalist movement got a lot stronger today,” said Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow. “Breitbart gained an executive chairman with his finger on the pulse of the Trump agenda.” Breitbart News CEO and President Larry Solov agreed. “Breitbart’s pace of global expansion will only accelerate with Steve back,” said Solov. “The sky’s the limit.”