'This is a long-term play': GOP mega-donor convinced Bannon to stay on at White House

Longtime confident of Steve Bannon and Republican donor Rebekah Mercer, was behind the decision to stay on as President Donald Trump's senior aide. Reports late Wednesday night revealed Bannon was considering resigning, after being removed from the National Security Council, but Mercer "prevailed upon him to stay," Politico reported.

“Bekah tried to convince him that this is a long-term play," another person familiar involved with the situation confirmed.

Mercer's family is a major investor in Breitbart News, the right-wing site Bannon once led. She also became a quick supporter of Trump during the 2016 campaign. Bannon also served as vice president for Cambridge Analytica, a data-analytics firm that is largely owned by Mercer's family along with Bannon.

The White House told Politico that Bannon didn't take any steps indicating he might be leaving and any suggestion that he was going to resign was "total nonsense."