tonight to the other developing story, of course that new book. Steve Bannon turning on the president's family, sending shock waves through the white house. President trump trying to stop the book. Late today, we lead the publisher will put it out tomorrow, tomorrow in fact, and the president asking our se Vil Ya Vega asking, was he betrayed? Reporter: In the white house today we asked president trump about his old friend Steve Bannon. Did Steve Bannon betray you, Mr. President? Any words about Steve Bannon? Thank you. Thank you very much. He called me a great man last night. He changed his tune pretty quick. Thank you all very much. Thank you. I don't talk to him. I don't talk to him. I don't talk to him. That's just a misnomer. Thank you. Reporter: In the past 24 hours, the president's former chief strategist did indeed take to the airwaves, lavishing praise on his old boss multiple times. The president of the United States is a great man, you know I support him day in and day out. Reporter: But the damage may already be done after that new white house book "Fire and fury" quoted Bannon attacking the president and his children. He called Donald Trump Jr. And Jared Kushner "Treasonous" and "Unpatriotic" for the meeting in trump tower with a Russian lawyer they thought had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He said of daughter Ivanka Trump people suddenly realized she's dumb as a brick. Author Michael Wolff writes ivanka and her husband even talked about her possibly running for president one day, Bannon scoffed at the prospect. From the white house, outrage. There are numerous mistakes, but I'm not going to waste my time, or the country's time, going page by page, talking about a book that's complete fantasy, and just full of tabloid gossip. Reporter: And the president's legal team waged war, threatening to sue Bannon for libel and slander, writing legal action is imminent. They also demanded the book's publisher halt publication. The threat didn't seem to matter much, the release date moved up to tomorrow. The shock waves already felt in Washington. With early excerpts like this, Wolff says behind closed doors president trump critiqued top aides, calling son-in-law Jared kushnesuck-up, senior advisor kellyanne Conway a crybaby, and former press secretary Sean spicer stupid. The book recounts campaign had concerns about mental stables. Wolff doesn't name names, but he writes, "The worry among staffers, trump's rambling and his alarming repetitions, had significantly increased, and that his ability to stay focused, never great, had notably declined. Press secretary Sarah Sanders today, forced to defend the president's fitness to serve. It's disgraceful and laughable. If he was unfit he probably wouldn't be sitting there. Let's get to Cecilia. Author tonight actually thanking the president as you mentioned, the book now being released early. In fact, tomorrow. Another headline from the white house today. Staffers there no longer allowed to bring their personal cell phones into the west wing. Despite this turmoil this book has called. This personnel cell phone ban has been in works for a long time. This is not a reaction to all those leaks in that book, David.