Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Steve Bannon
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Steve Bannon.
Stephen Kevin Bannon is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. He gained prominence as the executive chairman of Breitbart News, a far-right news and opinion website. Bannon served as the White House Chief Strategist for the first seven months of Donald Trump's presidency, playing a key role in shaping Trump's nationalist and populist policies. After leaving the White House, he continued to promote right-wing political movements both in the United States and internationally. Bannon has been a controversial figure due to his association with alt-right ideologies and his role in shaping divisive political narratives.
1973: Bannon's References to 'The Camp of the Saints' in 1973
Steve Bannon has repeatedly referenced "The Camp of the Saints", a controversial French novel written in 1973 by Jean Raspail, which depicts Third World immigration destroying Western civilization.
January 1996: Bannon Charged with Domestic Violence
In early January 1996, Steve Bannon was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence, battery, and dissuading a witness after his then-wife, Mary Piccard, accused him of domestic abuse. The charges were later dropped when Piccard did not appear in court, allegedly due to threats made by Bannon and his lawyer.
2007: Founding Board Member of Breitbart News
In 2007, Bannon was a founding board member of Breitbart News, a far-right news and opinion website.
2007: Bannon Develops "Destroying the Great Satan" Documentary in 2007
In 2007, Steve Bannon proposed and developed a script for a documentary titled "Destroying the Great Satan: The Rise of Islamic Fascism in America", portraying a Muslim effort to take over America.
2008: Bannon Criticizes Wall Street's Role in Financial Crisis
In 2008, Steve Bannon criticized Wall Street for its role in the 2008 financial crisis. He has also criticized bail outs for big banks and is angered by the fact that Wall Street banks have not been held accountable for the financial crisis, which he says fueled populist fury and groups such as the Tea Party.
2010: Bannon's Comments on Islam in 2010
In 2010, Steve Bannon stated that "Islam is not a religion of peace" and criticized George W. Bush for calling it so. He described Islam as "something much darker" than Hitler and the Nazis.
2012: Bannon's "The Hope & The Change" documentary released in 2012.
In 2012, the opening of Steve Bannon's documentary film "The Hope & The Change" consciously imitated Riefenstahl's film "The Triumph of the Will".
2014: Bannon References Julius Evola in 2014
In 2014, Steve Bannon made a passing reference to Julius Evola, a Nazi-linked Italian writer who influenced Benito Mussolini's Italian Fascism, during a speech to a Vatican conference.
2014: Bannon's Vatican Conference Speech in 2014
In 2014, during a conference in the Vatican, Steve Bannon spoke about the Judeo-Christian West's historical struggle against Islam, viewing Putin's Russia and Trump's America as Christian allies against radical Islamic terrorism.
2015: Bannon on American Renaissance in 2015
In 2015, Steve Bannon stated that the alt-right publication American Renaissance was "fighting the same fight" as him.
March 2016: Bannon's Appreciation for Julius Evola in March 2016
In March 2016, Steve Bannon stated that he appreciates "any piece that mentions Evola", referencing Julius Evola, a Nazi-linked Italian writer.
November 15, 2016: Democratic Representatives Urged Trump to Rescind Bannon's Appointment
On November 15, 2016, 169 Democratic House representatives, led by David Cicilline, urged President-elect Trump to rescind his appointment of Steve Bannon, citing his ties to the White Nationalist movement.
2016: Declared Breitbart News as "The Platform for the Alt-Right"
In 2016, Bannon declared Breitbart News as "the platform for the alt-right", marking a shift towards a more nationalistic and alt-right friendly editorial tone.
2016: Cambridge Analytica's tactics to target American voters
In 2016, Cambridge Analytica, where Bannon served as vice president, allegedly used illegal tactics to target American voters during the election.
2016: Investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election
In 2016, Steve Bannon was interviewed multiple times by Robert Mueller as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election.
2016: Bannon's "Darkness is good" remark
In 2016, during an interview, Steve Bannon remarked that "Darkness is good: Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That's power."
January 2017: Designated as Regular Attendee to NSC's Principals Committee
In January 2017, Steve Bannon was designated as a regular attendee to the National Security Council's (NSC) Principals Committee.
2017: Bannon's Opposition to the Shayrat Missile Strike
During his time as White House chief strategist in 2017, Steve Bannon opposed the Shayrat missile strike, but was overruled by Kushner.
2017: Bannon Supports Roy Moore Despite Allegations
In 2017, Steve Bannon was credited with helping Roy Moore defeat incumbent senator Luther Strange in the September Republican primary for the special Alabama Senate election, despite Trump's endorsement of Strange. After sexual misconduct allegations against Moore surfaced, Bannon continued his support and questioned the accusations. He responded to Ivanka Trump's condemnation of Moore by referencing allegations against her father.
2017: Bannon Warns Trump Against Gun Control
In 2017, following the Las Vegas shooting, Steve Bannon warned Trump against any shifts towards gun control, suggesting it would be negatively received by Trump's political base more than an immigration amnesty bill.
January 2018: Trump disavowed Bannon after "Fire and Fury" excerpts
In January 2018, Donald Trump disavowed Steve Bannon after excerpts from "Fire and Fury" were published, asserting that Bannon had "lost his mind" after leaving the White House.
January 2018: Estrangement from Trump After Fire and Fury Publication
In January 2018, Steve Bannon and Donald Trump became estranged after the publication of Michael Wolff's book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House", which attributed many controversial statements to Bannon.
March 2018: Bannon Addresses French National Front in March 2018
In March 2018, Steve Bannon delivered a "populist pep talk" to members of the French National Front, encouraging them to embrace labels such as "racist" and "xenophobe".
July 2018: Bannon Urges Boris Johnson to Challenge Theresa May in July 2018
In July 2018, Steve Bannon urged Boris Johnson to challenge Prime Minister Theresa May, expressing admiration for Johnson and revealing private contact between them.
August 2018: Guo-Linked Company Enters Consulting Contract with Bannon
In August 2018, a company linked to Guo Wengui entered into a $1 million consulting contract with Steve Bannon.
October 31, 2018: Senate Intelligence Committee Investigation of Bannon's Activities
On October 31, 2018, Reuters reported that the Senate Intelligence Committee was conducting a wide-ranging investigation of Steve Bannon's activities during the 2016 campaign.
2018: Bannon Flies on Guo's Jet to Support Republican Candidates
During the 2018 election campaign, Steve Bannon flew on Guo Wengui's Bombardier Global Express to events in support of Republican congressional candidates in New Mexico and Arizona. Bannon stated the trips were to promote his film, Trump@War.
2018: Bannon Announces European Political Operation in 2018
In 2018, Steve Bannon announced plans to launch a new political operation in Europe aimed at uniting populist parties before the 2019 European Parliament election. He also formed The Movement to connect far-right groups throughout Europe.
2018: Bannon Advocates Closer Ties with Russia in 2018
In 2018, Steve Bannon defended Trump's ties to Putin, viewing Russia as a potential ally due to its traditional values. He met with Aleksandr Dugin in Rome to discuss closer relations between the U.S. and Russia.
2018: Bannon's Fascination with Mussolini in 2018
In 2018, Steve Bannon told an interviewer that he is "fascinated by Mussolini", admiring his virility and fashion sense.
March 14, 2019: Wilbur Ross Questioned About Conversations with Bannon
On March 14, 2019, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was questioned about his conversations with Steve Bannon regarding the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census surveys.
October 2019: Bannon Co-hosts 'War Room: Impeachment'
In October 2019, Steve Bannon began co-hosting 'War Room: Impeachment,' a daily radio show and podcast where he offered advice to the Trump administration and its allies on countering the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.
2019: Wolff quoted Bannon on Trump's enterprise
In 2019, Michael Wolff quoted Steve Bannon in his book "Siege," where Bannon stated that Trump had run what increasingly seemed to resemble a semi-criminal enterprise.
2019: European Parliament Election Plans in 2019
In 2019, Steve Bannon's focus was on uniting populist parties across Europe for the European Parliament election, with the project based in Brussels.
February 2020: Bannon's Flights on Guo's Jet Revealed
In February 2020, ProPublica revealed that Steve Bannon had been flying on Guo Wengui's Bombardier Global Express during the 2018 election campaign to support Republican congressional candidates. This led to scrutiny over potential campaign finance violations.
June 3, 2020: Bannon and Guo Declare 'New Federal State of China'
On June 3, 2020, Steve Bannon and Guo Wengui participated in declaring a "New Federal State of China" (also called "Federal State of New China") with the stated intention of overthrowing the Chinese government. Planes were seen in New York City carrying banners congratulating the new state.
August 2020: Senate Intelligence Committee Believed Bannon May Have Misled Them
In August 2020, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee told the Department of Justice (DOJ) that they believed that Steve Bannon, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. may have misled them with their testimony about the Russia investigation.
August 2020: Fundraising for GTV Media Group Under Investigation
In August 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that the fundraising for GTV Media Group, a company co-founded by Steve Bannon and Guo Wengui, was under investigation by federal and state authorities.
November 5, 2020: Bannon Calls for Beheadings of Fauci and Wray
During the November 5, 2020, edition of his webcast, Steve Bannon called for the beheadings of Anthony Fauci and FBI director Christopher Wray. Consequently, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter took action against his accounts, and Mailchimp disabled his email newsletter.
November 2020: Bannon Promotes Li-Meng Yan's COVID-19 Account
In November 2020, it was reported that Steve Bannon, along with Guo Wengui, promoted Li-Meng Yan's account of COVID-19. They facilitated her travel to the United States, provided accommodation, coached her for media appearances, and helped secure interviews with conservative television hosts. Her claims about the virus being artificially made were rejected as misinformation.
2020: Arrested on Federal Charges
In 2020, Bannon was arrested on federal charges related to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering.
2020: Bannon's Skepticism About Soleimani Assassination
In 2020, Steve Bannon expressed skepticism regarding the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, questioning its necessity and potential to exacerbate military issues, while also warning that escalation with Iran could undermine Trump's support.
2020: Controversy over citizenship question to the 2020 census surveys
In 2020, Steve Bannon was linked to conversations regarding the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census surveys.
January 9, 2021: YouTube Removes Bannon's Podcast Channel
On January 9, 2021, YouTube removed Steve Bannon's podcast channel and another one called "Trump at War – A Film by Stephen K. Bannon" due to a "violation of YouTube's Terms of Service".
January 20, 2021: China Sanctions Bannon and Other Trump Officials
On January 20, 2021, the Chinese government imposed sanctions against Steve Bannon and 27 other Trump administration officials for interfering in China's internal affairs, undermining its interests, and disrupting China-U.S. relations. The sanctions included a ban from entering China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and restrictions on associated companies doing business in China.
September 23, 2021: House Committee Subpoenas Bannon
On September 23, 2021, the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack subpoenaed Steve Bannon, ordering him to appear on October 14.
November 12, 2021: Bannon Indicted on Contempt Charges
On November 12, 2021, Steve Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury on two criminal contempt charges: one count of not providing documents, and one count of not testifying.
July 2022: Convicted of Contempt of Congress
In July 2022, Bannon was convicted and sentenced to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine for contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 House select committee.
July 22, 2022: Bannon Found Guilty on Both Charges
On July 22, 2022, the jury found Steve Bannon guilty on both charges of contempt of Congress.
October 21, 2022: Bannon Sentenced to Prison
On October 21, 2022, Judge Nichols sentenced Steve Bannon to serve four months in prison and pay a $6,500 fine for contempt of Congress.
February 2023: Study Finds False Statements in Bannon's Podcast
A February 2023 study by the Brookings Institution found that Steve Bannon's podcast, 'War Room: Pandemic,' contained the highest proportion of false, misleading, and unsubstantiated statements among 36,603 episodes produced by 79 prominent political podcasters.
July 2023: Bannon Ordered to Pay Legal Bill
In July 2023, Steve Bannon was ordered to pay the remaining balance of an $850,000 legal bill to Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron LLP, the law firm that represented him in cases for contempt of Congress and the "We Build the Wall" fraud scheme. The firm had sued Bannon for the unpaid amount.
December 2023: Bannon Advocates for Arming Children in Schools
In December 2023, Steve Bannon advocated for integrating gun classes into school curriculums, speaking at Turning Point USA's America Fest, as a means for children to defend themselves against bullies.
October 2024: Released from Federal Prison
In October 2024, after losing his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Bannon surrendered to a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, where he was imprisoned from July to October 2024.
February 2025: Bannon Pleaded Guilty to Fraud and Received Sentence
In February 2025, Bannon pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to three years of conditional discharge.
February 2025: Bannon's Remarks at CPAC in February 2025
In February 2025, Steve Bannon gave pro-Trump remarks at a Conservative Political Action Conference meeting, ending it with what appeared to some as a Nazi salute, leading to Jordan Bardella canceling his scheduled speech.
May 2025: Bannon Opposes Bipartisan Anti-BDS Proposal
In May 2025, Steve Bannon voiced opposition to a bipartisan proposal that would expand anti-BDS laws punishing the boycott Israel.
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