President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of media mogul Stephen Bannon has sent civil rights groups, senior Democrats and even a few republicans into fear over what his position as chief strategist will mean for the White House.   

Bannon acted as the chairman of Breitbart News, a conservative news and opinion website, from March 2012, upon the previous chairman’s passing, to the present.  

A few of the previous headlines from the website featured controversial titles such as “Planned Parenthood’s Body Count Under Cecile Richards Is Up To Half A Holocaust,” “Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy” and “How Donald Trump Made It Cool To Be Gay Again.” 

President Obama declined to say anything on Bannon‘s appointment as the White House strategist, saying, “It would not be appropriate for me to comment on every appointment that the president-elect starts making” at a press conference on Monday.  

Senator Bernie Sanders, however, was not so silent.  

“We’re going to tell Mr. Bannon and any other advisors that we’re not going to be turning on each other,” Sanders commented on ABC’s “The View” on Monday.

Critics are calling Bannon “the voice of racism.” However, Kellyanne Conway, who acted as Trump’s campaign manager, denied Bannon’s involvement with right wing nationalists. 

“He has got a Harvard business degree. He’s a naval officer. He has success in entertainment,” said Conway.  

Conway was not the only one to express support for Bannon; Breitbart News’ Pamela Geller said, “I am a fiercely proud Jew and unapologetic Zionist. As long as I have known Steve, he has been an unabashed supporter of Israel and of those of us who fight against Jew-hatred and racism. Unequivocally.” 

The Council on American-Islamic Relations also commented on Bannon’s appointment, saying it “sends the disturbing message that anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and white nationalist ideology will be welcome in the White House.”  

While Trump’s appointment of attorney Reince Priebus to Republican National Committee Chairman and White House Chief of Staff brought praise from members of the GOP, Bannon’s appointment seemed to raise only silence from the party. Priebus and Bannon are expected to work as “equal partners,” according to a statement from the Presidential Transition Team.  

Obama advised the country to let time be the ultimate tell of Trump’s presidency and what it may or may not bring.  

“It’s important for us to let him make his decisions,” Obama said. “The American People will judge over the course of the next couple of years whether they like what they see.”