Steve Bannon, chief strategist of the White House, on Friday became the nineteenth high ranking official to leave Trump’s team (See list). Patrick Kennedy, Under Secretary of State for Management, was the first one to resign on the first day of January this year. 

There was speculation for a long time as to whether Bannon would resign or President Donald Trump would fire him. Bannon had been maintaining a low profile for the last few months, according to a report in Politico.

A peep into the resignations and removals may provide an insight into what is really going on: 

On the penultimate day of January, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates was fired barely a few hours after ordering the Justice Department not to defend Trump’s order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations. Yates was the first official to openly disagree with Trump’s policy. 

In March, Preet Bharara, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York was given marching orders but refused to resign and was later fired. He was investigating cases of insider trading and was considered Wall Street's “enforcer”. 

Barely two days after the July 4 celebrations, Walter Shaub, head of the US Office of Government Ethics decided to put in his papers without much hullaballoo. After Shaub’s resignation, senior officials at the White House Communication team started quitting. White House Communications Director, Michael Dubke decided to amicably quit on July 21. He offered his resignation before Trump embarked on his first overseas trip as president. Michael Short, Assistant Press Secretary also resigned four days after Dubke.

Trump hired Anthony Scaramucci as White House Communications Director. But Sean Spicer was not happy with the Scaramucci appointment and resigned on July 21. Scaramucci was fired ten days later after he reportedly insulted senior White House officials.

Trump has also been hit with a number of high profile resignations from committees he had set up. After remarks made by Trump over the far right and white supremist rally and following clashes in Charlottsville, numerous CEOs resigned from his Business Council leading to it being disbanded by Trump himself. 

The entire committee on the arts and the humanities also resigned on the same day that Bannon resigned with an open letter.  

The firings and resignations now mean that there are some people in top jobs in the White House with limited experience. 

Hope Hicks, 28, was appointed interim White House communications director after Scaramucci’s exit.

The departures could also mean Trump's inner circle now has more power than ever. 

Included in the Trump team are his son-in-law Jared Kushner, his daughter Ivanka Trump, his sons Eric and Donald Jr, and chief of staff, John Kelly.