On Twitter, Trump thanks Bannon for his role in defeating ‘Crooked Hillary Clinton’

President Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning to thank Stephen K. Bannon, his ousted White House chief strategist, and took a shot at his vanquished Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, while he was at it.

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

Trump on Friday dismissed Bannon, an architect of his 2016 general-election victory and the champion of his nationalist impulses, in a major White House shake-up.

[Bannon’s next move: A return to Breitbart News, with more reach than ever]

Administration officials said Trump empowered new chief of staff, John F. Kelly, to fire Bannon in an effort to tame warring factions and bring stability to a White House at risk of caving under its self-destructive tendencies.

Trump’s tweet made no mention of Bannon’s contributions at the White House. It also referenced Bannon’s arrival after the GOP primary season, a point Trump and other White House officials have made in recent weeks as they’ve tried to distance themselves from Bannon.

Having departed the White House, Bannon is returning as executive chairman of Breitbart News, the pugilistic conservative website he helped guide before joining Trump’s campaign last August, Breitbart announced Friday.

In a second tweet on Saturday afternoon, Trump wished Bannon well as he returned.

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