WASHINGTON >> Stephen K. Bannon is stepping down from his post as executive chairman of Breitbart News, the company announced today.

Bannon’s departure, which was forced by a onetime financial patron, Rebekah Mercer, comes as Bannon remained unable to quell the furor over remarks attributed to him in a new book in which he questions President Donald Trump’s mental fitness and disparages his elder son, Donald Trump Jr.

Bannon and Breitbart will work together on a smooth transition, a statement from the company’s chief executive, Larry Solov, said.

In the statement, Bannon added that he was “proud of what the Breitbart team has accomplished in so short a period of time in building out a world-class news platform.”