A total of 168 Democratic lawmakers, including Indian-American Ami Bera, have asked President-elect Donald Trump to rescind the appointment of Steve Bannon as his Chief Strategist for the latter’s alleged links with white nationalists.
“We strongly believe that Bannon’s appointment will not allow the country to heal and come together as one. As one of your top advisors, the White House chief strategist will help set the tone for your administration. The person in this role must be prepared to serve the interests of all Americans, not those of a select few,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to 70-year-old Trump on Wednesday.
“We strongly urge you to rescind this appointment immediately and build a diverse White House staff who are committed to the core American values of inclusiveness, diversity and tolerance,” the letter delivered to the Trump Towers in New York said.
In a strongly worded letter, the Democratic lawmakers said Mr. Trump’s appointment of Mr. Bannon, whose ties to the White Nationalist movement have been well-documented, directly undermines his ability to unite the country.
“As elected representatives of millions of Americans from diverse backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities, we strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to appoint Mr Bannon to White House Chief Strategist,” the letter said.
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to media queries on this issue, but in the last few days the Trump Campaign has strongly defended the decision of the President—elect.
Lawmakers rued that since the election there had been a number of incidents across the country in which minorities, including Muslim Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Jewish Americans, have been the targets of violence, harassment and intimidation.
