Steve Bannon

Stephen Kevin Bannon
Born:	November 27, 1953 Norfolk, Virginia
Charges:	Contempt of Congress (2 counts), Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Money laundering (state)
Sentence:	4 months (contempt); conditional discharge (state fraud)
Facility:	FCI Danbury
Status:	Released

Stephen Kevin Bannon (born November 27, 1953) is an American political strategist, media executive, and former White House Chief Strategist who served four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon, who served as chief executive of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and later as White House Chief Strategist, had previously been arrested on federal fraud charges related to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign in August 2020 but was pardoned by President Trump in January 2021 before facing trial. After New York state prosecutors brought similar charges that could not be erased by a presidential pardon, Bannon pleaded guilty to fraud in February 2025, receiving a conditional discharge that allowed him to avoid additional prison time. Bannon's contempt conviction made him the first Trump-era official to be jailed for defying a congressional subpoena, followed shortly by Peter Navarro.

Summary

Steve Bannon's legal troubles illustrate the complex intersection of federal and state prosecution, presidential pardon power, and congressional oversight. His case involved two entirely separate criminal matters: the "We Build the Wall" fraud case, in which he was accused of diverting donor funds for personal use, and the contempt of Congress case arising from his refusal to cooperate with the January 6 investigation. The federal fraud charges were eliminated by Trump's pardon, but the contempt conviction and state fraud charges proceeded, resulting in prison time for contempt and a guilty plea on the state charges.

The "We Build the Wall" case demonstrated the limitations of presidential pardon power. While Trump's pardon prevented federal prosecution, it could not affect state charges. New York prosecutors charged Bannon with fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy in connection with the same fundraising campaign that had been the subject of the federal indictment. After years of legal maneuvering, Bannon ultimately pleaded guilty to state fraud charges in February 2025, accepting a conditional discharge that allowed him to avoid imprisonment.

The contempt case established that even close Trump associates would face criminal consequences for completely refusing to cooperate with congressional investigations. Bannon's conviction and four-month sentence, along with the identical sentence imposed on Peter Navarro for similar conduct, created a benchmark for how courts punish former officials who defy congressional subpoenas. His imprisonment made him a symbol of the legal accountability facing Trump's inner circle while also burnishing his credentials among supporters who viewed the prosecution as politically motivated.

Background

Early Career

Stephen Kevin Bannon was born on November 27, 1953, in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended Virginia Tech for his undergraduate degree, then earned a master's degree in national security studies from Georgetown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Bannon served as an officer in the United States Navy for seven years, including a tour on a destroyer in the Pacific and a stint at the Pentagon.

After leaving the Navy, Bannon worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs before transitioning to entertainment and media. He became involved in film production and eventually moved into political media, becoming chairman of Breitbart News after the death of founder Andrew Breitbart in 2012.

Role in Trump Campaign and White House

In August 2016, Bannon became chief executive of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, replacing Paul Manafort during the final months of the race. His aggressive, nationalist approach to politics was credited with helping shape the campaign's closing message and contributing to Trump's unexpected victory.

After the election, Bannon served as White House Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to the President from January to August 2017. In this role, he was considered one of the most influential voices in the administration, promoting an "America First" nationalist agenda. He left the White House in August 2017 amid conflicts with other senior officials and controversy over his comments about the Charlottesville rally.

Post-White House Media and Political Activities

After leaving the White House, Bannon returned to Breitbart News and became involved in promoting nationalist political movements in the United States and Europe. He launched a podcast, "War Room," that became influential in right-wing media. He remained a prominent figure in Trump's political orbit and was involved in efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.

The "We Build the Wall" Case

Federal Charges

In August 2020, federal prosecutors in Manhattan arrested Bannon and three others on charges related to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign. The campaign had raised more than $25 million from donors who were told the money would be used to privately fund construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Prosecutors alleged that Bannon and his co-defendants instead used the money for personal expenses.

According to the indictment, Bannon received more than $1 million from the campaign, routed through a nonprofit organization he controlled. Co-defendant Brian Kolfage, who founded the campaign, allegedly used funds for personal expenses including home renovations, a boat, and a golf cart.

Presidential Pardon

On January 20, 2021, in the final hours of his presidency, Trump issued a pardon to Bannon for the federal charges. The pardon eliminated the federal case, though Bannon's co-defendants did not receive pardons and were subsequently convicted.

New York State Charges

Because federal pardons cannot affect state prosecutions, New York prosecutors charged Bannon with state crimes related to the same conduct. In September 2022, Bannon was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges of money laundering, fraud, and conspiracy in connection with the "We Build the Wall" campaign.

After years of pretrial litigation, Bannon pleaded guilty to state fraud charges in February 2025. Under the plea agreement, he received a three-year conditional discharge and waived his right to appeal. He was barred from serving as an officer or director of any charity or nonprofit organization in New York and prohibited from holding assets for charitable organizations.

Contempt of Congress Case

January 6 Committee Subpoena

In September 2021, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack issued a subpoena to Bannon seeking documents and testimony about his communications with Trump and others before and during the attack. The committee was interested in Bannon's statements in the days before January 6, including a podcast comment that "all hell is going to break loose tomorrow."

Bannon refused to comply with the subpoena, claiming that Trump had invoked executive privilege over the requested material. However, Bannon had not been a government employee at the time of the relevant communications, making the executive privilege claim legally questionable.

Indictment and Trial

In November 2021, the House voted to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress. The Department of Justice indicted him on two counts of contempt in November 2021: one for refusing to appear for a deposition and one for refusing to produce documents.

Bannon's trial took place in July 2022. The judge ruled that Bannon could not present an executive privilege defense because he had not attempted to negotiate with the committee or seek judicial resolution of any privilege claims. The jury convicted him on both counts after approximately three hours of deliberation.

Sentencing and Imprisonment

In October 2022, Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine. He remained free pending appeal, which delayed the start of his sentence by nearly two years. After the appeals court upheld his conviction, Bannon hired Sam Mangel, a prison consultant, to help him prepare for his incarceration. Mangel also helped secure placement in special veterans housing for Bannon.

Bannon reported to Federal Correctional Institution Danbury in Connecticut on July 1, 2024, which Mangel described on CNN:

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FCI Danbury is a low-security federal correctional institution that includes a minimum-security satellite camp. Bannon served his full four-month sentence and was released on October 29, 2024.

Public Statements and Positions

Throughout both prosecutions, Bannon maintained that he was the victim of political persecution. He characterized the charges as attempts to silence a prominent Trump supporter and argued that the prosecutions were motivated by his political activities rather than genuine criminal conduct.

Regarding the contempt case, Bannon argued that he was legally obligated to refuse the subpoena because Trump had asserted executive privilege. He characterized his prosecution as criminalizing legitimate privilege assertions and setting a dangerous precedent for future administrations.

On the fraud case, Bannon's guilty plea involved accepting responsibility for the charges without admitting to the most damaging allegations about his personal use of donor funds. His conditional discharge allowed him to avoid additional prison time while resolving the long-pending state charges.

Terminology

• Contempt of Congress: The act of obstructing congressional proceedings or refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas.

• Presidential Pardon: An act of executive clemency that eliminates the consequences of a federal criminal conviction.

• Conditional Discharge: A sentence that does not involve imprisonment but requires the defendant to comply with specified conditions.

• Wire Fraud: A federal crime involving the use of electronic communications to execute a scheme to defraud.

See also

• Peter Navarro
• Paul Manafort
• Michael Cohen

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Steve Bannon go to prison?

Steve Bannon served four months in federal prison for contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon defied the subpoena by declining to appear for a deposition or produce requested documents, claiming executive privilege despite not being a government employee at the time of the relevant communications. He was convicted on two counts in July 2022 and sentenced to four months, which he served at FCI Danbury in Connecticut from July to October 2024.

Q: Was Steve Bannon pardoned for the border wall fraud?

Yes, President Trump pardoned Bannon on January 20, 2021, for the federal "We Build the Wall" fraud charges. Bannon had been arrested in August 2020 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to the crowdfunding campaign that raised over $25 million for a private border wall. The pardon eliminated the federal case, but it could not affect state charges. New York prosecutors later charged Bannon with state fraud crimes for the same conduct, and in February 2025, he pleaded guilty to state charges, receiving a conditional discharge that allowed him to avoid additional prison time.

Q: How long was Steve Bannon in prison?

Bannon served exactly four months in federal prison, from July 1, 2024 to October 29, 2024, at Federal Correctional Institution Danbury in Connecticut. This was the sentence imposed for his contempt of Congress conviction. He remained free for nearly two years after his October 2022 sentencing while his case was on appeal, but reported to prison after the appeals court upheld his conviction.

Q: What prison was Steve Bannon in?

Bannon served his four-month sentence at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Danbury in Connecticut. FCI Danbury is a low-security federal correctional institution that includes a minimum-security satellite camp. Before reporting to prison, Bannon hired prison consultant Sam Mangel to help him prepare for incarceration.

Q: What was the We Build the Wall fraud scheme?

"We Build the Wall" was a crowdfunding campaign launched in 2018 that raised more than $25 million from donors who were told the money would fund private construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Federal prosecutors alleged that Bannon and his co-defendants, including campaign founder Brian Kolfage, instead diverted funds for personal use. Bannon allegedly received more than $1 million from the campaign through a nonprofit he controlled. While Trump's pardon eliminated the federal charges against Bannon, his co-defendants who did not receive pardons were convicted. New York state prosecutors later brought similar charges against Bannon that resulted in his February 2025 guilty plea.