Steve Bannon quits Breitbart after explosive Trump book

The man who helped Donald Trump to victory during last year's presidential race has stepped down from his editorial position at far-right website Breitbart.

Steve Bannon will step down as executive chairman for the outlet and is left a deeply isolated man following a political storm regarding a biography on Trump.

"I'm proud of what the Breitbart team has accomplished in so short a period of time in building out a world-class news platform," Bannon said in a statement carried on Breitbart's website.

Breitbart has been widely criticised across the political spectrum in the US for its misleading, divisive and far-right stories that often target Muslims.

Despite this, the website has been popular among the right and the outlet strongly supported Trump as he ran for president.

Bannon and Breitbart will work together on a smooth and orderly transition, the news site added.

"Steve is a valued part of our legacy, and we will always be grateful for his contributions, and what he has helped us to accomplish," Breitbart CEO Larry Solov said, according to AFP.

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Steve Bannon's decision to quit the outlet comes after an explosive book was released last week, which has been deeply embarrassing for both Trump and his former chief strategist.

Bannon's incendiary quotes in Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House caused the president to lash out at his former friend on Twitter.

In the book, Michael Wolff describes Trump's erratic and eccentric everyday life in the White House, which has led many to question whether Trump is fit for office.

Bannon is quoted in the book severely criticising the president and described one meeting between Trump's team and a Russian lawyer as "treacherous".

The former Breitbart editor has since apologised for the comments and refused to respond to Trump's deeply insulting outbursts on Twitter.

One of the allegations made by Trump was that Bannon wept after he was told to leave his post as a chief White House adviser.

Bannon has worked as executive chairman at Breitbart since 2012.

US media said his decision to step down comes after former so-called alt-right allies turned on him over his Trump quotes.