Dirty Trickster Roger Stone Said He Advised Trump On Hiring Of “Very Good Friend” Stephen Bannon And Debates

Longtime Donald Trump ally Roger Stone said he advised Trump on upcoming debate negotiations and the hiring of fellow dirty trickster Stephen Bannon. Stone is one of the most disreputable people in American politics: He’s advocated killing “cunt” Hillary Clinton, attacked opponents with racist and sexist slurs, and pushed conspiracy theories about the Clintons murdering their opponents.

Trump overhauled his presidential campaign by hiring Bannon and new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway. Stone has collaborated with Bannon and Breitbart.com on toxic conspiracy theories. He’s used his platform at Breitbart to smear Gold Star father Khizr Khan as connected to terrorism and to claim that Clinton aide Huma Abedin is “most likely a Saudi spy.”

Stone appeared on the August 17 edition of WIOD’s Fernand Amandi Show​ and praised the new hirings, stating: “Steve Bannon’s a very good friend of mine. I write for Breitbart, as you know. He’s an enormously capable guy with great political instincts.” Stone added he was “in favor of these additions. I have spoken in favor of them internally over the last couple days.” 

Stone also claimed that campaign chairman Paul Manafort -- Stone’s former business partner -- was not demoted. He suggested claims to that effect “may be the Corey Lewandowski spin, but it’s just not accurate. Manafort’s not going anywhere. Spoke to him this morning, he’s very pleased with this expansion. He was in favor of it, I was in favor of it.”

The Trump ally also said that he’s advised Trump to push for third party candidates like Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein to be included in the debate because they’re on enough ballots.

For more on Trump adviser Roger Stone, read Media Matters’ comprehensive guide.

Listen to Stone’s interview on Miami’s WIOD below: