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's chief strategist for the first seven months of Donald Trump's presidency, playing a key role in shaping Trump's nationalist and populist agenda. After leaving the White House, he continued to promote right-wing political movements both in the United States and internationally. Bannon's career has been marked by controversy, due to his association with alt-right ideologies and his promotion of nationalist policies.
1973: Reference to The Camp of the Saints
In 1973, Bannon has also repeatedly referenced the controversial French novel The Camp of the Saints by Jean Raspail, which depicts Third World immigration destroying Western civilization.
January 1996: Domestic Abuse Allegations
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.
2007: Development of 'Destroying the Great Satan'
In 2007, Bannon proposed and developed a script for a documentary titled "Destroying the Great Satan: The Rise of Islamic Fascism in America," which centered on the idea of Muslims attempting to take over America.
2007: Founding Board Member of Breitbart News
In 2007, Bannon was a founding board member of Breitbart News, a far-right news, opinion and commentary website.
2010: Controversial Statements on Islam
In 2010, Bannon made several controversial statements about Islam, including declaring that "Islam is not a religion of peace" and criticizing George W. Bush for describing it as such. He also asserted that Islam is "something much darker" than Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
2014: Remarks at Vatican Conference
During a 2014 conference at the Vatican, Bannon spoke about the Judeo-Christian West's historical struggle against Islam and stated his belief that our forefathers did the right thing in keeping it out of the world.
2014: Reference to Julius Evola in Vatican Speech
In a 2014 speech to a Vatican conference, Bannon made a reference to Julius Evola, a Nazi-linked Italian writer who influenced Benito Mussolini.
2015: Bannon Opposes Resettling Syrian Refugees
In 2015, Steve Bannon expressed opposition to resettling any refugees of the Syrian Civil War in the U.S.
2015: Agreement with American Renaissance
In 2015, a former Breitbart writer wrote that Bannon said that alt-right publication American Renaissance was "fighting the same fight" as him.
March 2016: Appreciation for Julius Evola
In March 2016, Bannon stated he appreciates "any piece that mentions Evola".
November 15, 2016: House Representatives Urge Rescinding Bannon's Appointment
On November 15, 2016, 169 Democratic House representatives urged then president-elect Trump to rescind his appointment of Bannon, citing Bannon's ties to the White Nationalist movement. Bannon denied being a white nationalist, identifying as an "economic nationalist."
2016: Declared Website as Platform for the Alt-Right
In 2016, Bannon declared the website "the platform for the alt-right".
2016: Bannon Describes Breitbart News as Platform for Alt-Right
In 2016, Bannon described Breitbart News as "the platform for the alt-right". In the mid-2010s, Bannon was a vice president of Cambridge Analytica.
2016: Involvement with Cambridge Analytica
In 2016, Bannon served as vice president of the board of Cambridge Analytica, a data-analytics firm. He oversaw the collection of Facebook data allegedly used to target American voters. Bannon's stake in the company was estimated at $1–5 million.
2016: Bannon Criticizes Legal Immigration Levels
In 2016, Steve Bannon asserted that legal immigration to the U.S. was "scary" and had "kinda overwhelmed the country".
2016: "Darkness is good" remark
In November 2016, Bannon remarked during an interview that "Darkness is good: Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That's power. It only helps us when they get it wrong. When they're blind to who we are and what we're doing."
January 2017: Designated as Regular Attendee to NSC Principals Committee
In January 2017, Bannon's position was designated as a regular attendee to the National Security Council's (NSC) Principals Committee, a move that was criticized by members of previous administrations.
August 4, 2017: Resignation Notice
On August 4, 2017, Steve Bannon stated that he submitted his two-week resignation notice from his position, though some sources indicated he was asked to resign.
October 2017: Plans to sponsor primary challenges
In October 2017, Steve Bannon announced plans to sponsor primary challenges against six of the seven incumbent Republican senators in the 2018 elections who he deemed insufficiently supportive of Trump's agenda.
2017: Introduced to Jeffrey Epstein
In 2017, Steve Bannon was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein and worked with Ehud Barak and attorney Reid Weingarten to attempt to reform Epstein's public image.
2017: Bannon Warns Against Gun Control After Las Vegas Shooting
In 2017, following the Las Vegas shooting, Steve Bannon warned Donald Trump against any move towards gun control, predicting a negative reaction from Trump's base.
January 2018: Trump Disavowed Bannon
In January 2018, after excerpts from Fire and Fury were published, Trump disavowed Bannon, stating he had "lost his mind" and attacking him in angry statements.
January 2018: Disavowed by Trump and Left Breitbart
In January 2018, after his criticism of Trump's children was reported in Michael Wolff's book Fire and Fury, Bannon was disavowed by Trump and subsequently left Breitbart.
January 2018: Estrangement From Trump After "Fire and Fury" Publication
In January 2018, after the publication of Michael Wolff's book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, Bannon and Trump became estranged. The book attributed controversial statements to Bannon, including claims regarding Ivanka Trump and a meeting with Russian agents.
March 2018: Populist Pep Talk to National Front
In March 2018, Bannon gave a "populist pep talk" to members of the French right-wing populist National Front (NF), encouraging them to embrace labels like "racist" and "xenophobe" as badges of honor.
August 2018: Consulting Contract with Guo-linked company
In August 2018, a Guo-linked company entered into a $1 million consulting contract with Steve Bannon.
October 31, 2018: Senate Committee Investigation
On October 31, 2018, Reuters reported that the Senate Intelligence Committee was conducting an investigation into Bannon's activities during the 2016 campaign, including his knowledge of contacts between Russia and campaign advisors.
December 2018: We Build the Wall GoFundMe Campaign
In December 2018, donations were collected through a GoFundMe campaign that was launched for the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign, marketed to support the building of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
2018: Flew on Guo's private jet
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.
2018: Plans to Unite Populist Parties Across Europe
In 2018, Bannon announced plans to launch a new political operation to unite populist parties across Europe before the 2019 European Parliament election.
2018: Fascination with Mussolini
In 2018, Bannon told an interviewer that he is "fascinated by Mussolini".
2018: Michael Lewis Published a Quote Ascribed to Bannon
In 2018, Michael Lewis published a quote ascribed to Bannon in his book The Fifth Risk, examining the lack of preparedness of the Trump administration's transition team.
March 14, 2019: Wilbur Ross Questioned About Conversations Regarding Citizenship Question
On March 14, 2019, Commerce Department secretary Wilbur Ross was questioned about his conversations with Bannon regarding the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Bannon had referred him to immigration hardliners Kris Kobach and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
April 23, 2019: Supreme Court Heard Arguments Regarding Census Question
On April 23, 2019, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments regarding appeals of rejections by three circuit courts of the proposed inclusion of the citizenship question on the 2020 census survey.
November 2019: Testified in Roger Stone's Trial
In November 2019, Bannon testified in the federal criminal trial of Roger Stone, under subpoena. He testified that Stone was WikiLeaks' access point for the Trump campaign.
2019: European Parliament Election
In 2019, Bannon had plans to unite populist parties across Europe before the European Parliament election.
2019: Bannon's Quote in Wolff's "Siege"
In 2019, Michael Wolff quoted Bannon in his book Siege, with Bannon stating that Trump had run "what increasingly seemed to resemble a semi-criminal enterprise," adding, "I think we can drop the 'semi' part."
February 2020: Flights Revealed
In February 2020, ProPublica revealed that Steve Bannon had flown on Guo Wengui's private jet to events in support of Republican congressional candidates during the 2018 election campaign.
June 3, 2020: New Federal State of China Declaration
On June 3, 2020, Steve Bannon and Guo Wengui participated in declaring a "New Federal State of China", with the stated aim of overthrowing the Chinese government.
July 10, 2020: Stone's Sentence Commuted
On July 10, 2020, President Trump commuted Roger Stone's federal prison sentence after Stone was convicted on charges stemming from his testimony to Congress.
August 2020: Arrested on Federal Fraud Charges
In August 2020, Bannon and three others were arrested on federal charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering in connection with the We Build the Wall fundraising campaign.
August 2020: Senate Intelligence Committee Concerns
In August 2020, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee informed the DOJ that they believed Bannon, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. may have misled them with their testimony about the Russia investigation.
August 2020: Fundraising 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.
August 20, 2020: Stone's Comment After Bannon's Arrest
After Bannon was arrested on August 20, 2020, Roger Stone commented, "Karma is a bitch. But I am praying for him."
August 20, 2020: Indicted on fraud and money laundering
On August 20, 2020, Steve Bannon was indicted along with three others on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to the "We Build the Wall" fundraising campaign.
November 5, 2020: Bannon Calls for Beheadings on Webcast
On November 5, 2020, Steve Bannon called for the beheadings of Anthony Fauci and Christopher Wray on his webcast, leading to his ban from various social media platforms. Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter removed his content, and Mailchimp disabled his newsletter.
November 2020: Promoting COVID-19 misinformation
In November 2020, The New York Times reported that Steve Bannon, along with Guo Wengui, had been promoting Li-Meng Yan's account of COVID-19, which was later rejected by scientists.
2020: Citizenship question on the 2020 census surveys
In 2020, Wilbur Ross was questioned about his conversations with Bannon regarding the adding 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 War Room podcast channel, and another one called "Trump at War – A Film by Stephen K. Bannon", citing a violation of their Terms of Service.
January 20, 2021: Trump Pardoned Bannon
On January 20, 2021, his last day in office, Trump pardoned Bannon, sparing him from a federal trial, but did not pardon his codefendants.
February 2021: Manhattan DA Subpoenas Banks in "We Build the Wall" Probe
In February 2021, the Manhattan District Attorney issued subpoenas to Wells Fargo Bank and GoFundMe, seeking information related to accounts used for the "We Build the Wall" venture.
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 for failing to provide documents and testify before Congress.
2021: Refusal to Comply with Subpoena
In 2021, Bannon refused to comply with a subpoena issued by the Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.
April 2022: Appeal Rejected
In April 2022, an appeals court rejected Steve Bannon's appeal regarding his failure to testify before the January 6 Committee.
July 2022: Convicted on Contempt of Congress Charges
In July 2022, Bannon was convicted on both counts of contempt of Congress in a jury trial.
July 18, 2022: Bannon's Trial Begins
On July 18, 2022, the trial of Steve Bannon began.
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. Officials stated he chose allegiance to Donald Trump over compliance with the law.
August 2022: Bannon Indicted on New York State Charges
In August 2022, Steve Bannon was indicted on New York state charges including money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud related to the $25 million "We Build the Wall" scheme. Bannon claimed the charges were politically motivated and linked them to George Soros.
September 8, 2022: Bannon Surrenders to Authorities
On September 8, 2022, Steve Bannon surrendered to authorities.
September 2022: Charged in New York State Court
In September 2022, Bannon was charged in New York state court on counts of fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy in connection with the We Build the Wall campaign.
October 2022: Sentenced to Prison and Fine
In October 2022, Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine.
October 21, 2022: Bannon Sentenced to Prison
On October 21, 2022, Judge Nichols sentenced Steve Bannon to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine for contempt of Congress.
November 4, 2022: Bannon Appeals Conviction and Sentence
On November 4, 2022, Steve Bannon appealed his conviction and sentence, remaining free pending the appeal.
January 2023: Lawyers Argue DOJ Improperly Searched Communications
In January 2023, Steve Bannon's lawyers argued that the Department of Justice had improperly searched his private communications.
February 2023: Brookings Institution Study on Bannon's Podcast
In February 2023, a Brookings Institution study found that Bannon's podcast contained the highest proportion of false, misleading, and unsubstantiated statements among a large sample of political podcasters.
December 2023: Bannon Advocates for Arming Children
In December 2023, Steve Bannon advocated for the arming and training of children in the use of firearms, proposing gun classes in school curriculums at Turning Point USA's America Fest.
May 10, 2024: Appellate Court Upholds Conviction
On May 10, 2024, the appellate court unanimously upheld Steve Bannon's conviction.
May 27, 2024: Trial Postponed
On May 27, 2024, Steve Bannon's trial was originally expected to start, but it was postponed because the judge in the case was also overseeing the Trump "hush-money" case and was unavailable.
June 6, 2024: Judge Orders Bannon to Report to Prison
On June 6, 2024, Judge Carl Nichols granted the motion to lift Steve Bannon's stay of sentence and ordered him to report to prison by July 1.
July 1, 2024: Bannon Reports to Prison
On July 1, 2024, Steve Bannon reported to the Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury in Connecticut, to begin his sentence.
September 23, 2024: Case Reassigned
On September 23, 2024, Steve Bannon's case was reassigned to Judge April Newbauer due to an ongoing conflict.
October 29, 2024: Released from Federal Prison
On October 29, 2024, Bannon was released from a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, where he had been imprisoned since July 1, 2024.
December 9, 2024: Trial Rescheduled
On December 9, 2024, Judge April Newbauer rescheduled Steve Bannon's trial.
February 11, 2025: Bannon Pleads Guilty
On February 11, 2025, Steve Bannon pleaded guilty to one state felony count of a scheme to defraud in the first degree and was sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge.
February 2025: Nazi Salute at CPAC
In February 2025, at a Conservative Political Action Conference meeting, Bannon closed his pro-Trump remarks with what appeared to some as a Nazi salute. The incident led to National Rally president Jordan Bardella canceling his scheduled speech to CPAC.
February 2025: Bannon Pleaded Guilty to Fraud
In February 2025, pursuant to an agreement with prosecutors, Bannon pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and was sentenced to three years of conditional discharge.
February 25, 2025: Trial Rescheduled Again
On February 25, 2025, Judge April Newbauer rescheduled Steve Bannon's trial at Bannon's request.
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