Ever since Bannon was removed from Trump's National Security Council a couple of days ago, rumors have swirled that his days in the White House could be numbered.
And while we suggest consuming anonymously-sourced media speculation with a healthy heaping of salt, the latest rumor mill would suggest that Bannon finds himself in the midst of an epic fight for survival with none other than Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Here was Axios' take on the fued:
The two sides: The Bannonites believe the liberals staged a coup and will turn Trump into a conventional squish who betrays the very voters who brought him to power. The Jared wing thinks the Bannonites are clinically nuts.
Killing Bannon won't be easy: His staunchest ally is one of Trump's closest confidants — Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Kellyanne Conway will go to the mat for him, as will policy advisor Stephen Miller. He's also built strong relationships with other cabinet secretaries including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. In the end, though, family matters most and all but dad are done with Bannon and his politics.
Meanwhile, recent moves that seemingly consolidate the power base of Jared and Ivanka have only served to fan the speculation of unrest.
Jared Kushner seizes control over structuring government at home and America's public face aboard.
Ivanka Trump adviser Dina Powell is named Deputy National Security Adviser, and keeps her portfolio as senior counselor for economic initiatives.
And while Bannon attempted to quash rumors of his early demise, the latest chatter coming out of anonymous White House sources suggest that a shakeup of the White House could be imminent with both Bannon and Chief of Staff Priebus getting the ax. Per Axios:
A top aide to Trump said he's contemplating major changes, but that the situation is very fluid and the timing uncertain: "Things are happening, but it's very unclear the president's willing to pull that trigger."
The top aide — along with many other Trump officials, advisers and friends — told us that it seems to be more a question of "when" not "whether" change will come: "The tension, the exhaustion, the raw nerves have gotten much harder to disguise."
Meanwhile, the list of potential Chief of Staff candidates rumored to replace Priebus include House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and former Goldman Sachs president, Gary Cohn.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who developed a bond with Trump as one of the earlier congressional leaders to support him, and remains a confidant.
Wayne Berman of Blackstone Group, a Washington heavy-hitter who was an Assistant Secretary of Commerce under President George H.W. Bush, and a key adviser on eight presidential campaigns.
David Urban of the Washington advisory firm American Continental Group, and a former chief of staff to the late Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). Urban helped Trump win an upset victory in Pennsylvania, and was in constant cellphone contact with the candidate throughout the campaign.
Gary Cohn, Trump's economic adviser and the former #2 at Goldman Sachs, who has built a formidable team and internal clout.
Media speculation gone wild or is the White House Game of Thrones about to claim its first major victims?