Childhood and Education Journey of Steve Bannon in Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of Steve Bannon. A timeline of key moments.
Stephen Bannon is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. He is known for his role as White House chief strategist in the Trump administration's early months and his prior position as executive chairman of Breitbart News. Bannon also served on the board of Cambridge Analytica. He is a controversial figure associated with right-wing populism and has been involved in various political and media ventures.
1931: Influence of Quadragesimo Anno
In 1931, the papal encyclical Quadragesimo anno was released, defending that political matters ought to be handled by the lowest, least centralized competent authority. Steve Bannon synthesizes traditionalist beliefs with Catholic social doctrine, particularly the idea of subsidiarity, as expressed in the 1931 papal encyclical, Quadragesimo anno.
1934: Nuremberg Rally
In 1934, the Nuremberg Rally took place. This rally was later depicted in Leni Riefenstahl's film The Triumph of the Will (1935), which influenced Steve Bannon's filmmaking techniques.
1935: Release of The Triumph of the Will
In 1935, Leni Riefenstahl's film The Triumph of the Will was released. It depicted the Nuremberg Rally held in 1934 and later influenced the opening of Bannon's documentary film The Hope & The Change (2012).
November 27, 1953: Stephen Kevin Bannon Born
On November 27, 1953, Stephen Kevin Bannon was born. He later became a media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker.
1971: Graduated from Benedictine College Preparatory
In 1971, Bannon graduated from Benedictine College Preparatory, a private, Catholic, military high school in Richmond, Virginia.
1973: Reference to The Camp of the Saints
In 1973, the controversial French novel 'The Camp of the Saints' by Jean Raspail was published. Steve Bannon has repeatedly referenced this novel, which depicts Third World immigration destroying Western civilization, in his discussions, indicating its influence on his views.
1976: Graduated from Virginia Tech
In 1976, Bannon graduated from Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies with a bachelor's degree in urban planning.
1977: Joined the United States Navy
In 1977, Bannon became an officer in the United States Navy, marking the beginning of his military service.
1980: Deployed to Persian Gulf
In 1980, Bannon was deployed to the Persian Gulf to assist with Operation Eagle Claw during the Iran hostage crisis.
1983: Left the United States Navy
In 1983, Bannon concluded his service in the United States Navy after serving as an officer since 1977.
1983: Earned Master's Degree from Georgetown University
In 1983, while serving in the navy, Bannon earned a master's degree in national security studies from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
1985: Earned MBA from Harvard Business School
In 1985, Bannon earned a Master of Business Administration degree with honors from Harvard Business School.
1987: Relocated to Los Angeles for Goldman Sachs
In 1987, Bannon relocated from New York to Los Angeles to help Goldman Sachs expand its presence in the entertainment industry.
1988: Birth of Daughter Maureen
In 1988, Steve Bannon and his first wife, Cathleen Suzanne Houff, had a daughter named Maureen. This birth marks a significant family event in Bannon's life during 1988.
April 1995: Marriage to Mary Louise Piccard
In April 1995, Steve Bannon married Mary Louise Piccard, a former investment banker. Their twin daughters were born three days after the wedding.
1997: Piccard files for dissolution of marriage
In 1997, Mary Louise Piccard filed for dissolution of her marriage to Steve Bannon.
2006: Marriage to Diane Clohesy
In 2006, Steve Bannon married model Diane Clohesy.
2008: Disillusionment with Establishment
In 2008, Bannon returned from running companies in Asia and became disillusioned with the political establishment, believing that George W. Bush had made significant mistakes.
2009: Divorce from Diane Clohesy
In 2009, Steve Bannon divorced from model Diane Clohesy.
2014: Reference to Julius Evola at Vatican Conference
In 2014, Steve Bannon made a passing reference to Julius Evola, a twentieth-century, Nazi-linked Italian writer, during a speech at a Vatican conference. Evola influenced Benito Mussolini's Italian Fascism and promoted the Traditionalist School. This event in 2014 highlights Bannon's interest in controversial and far-right ideologies.
2015: Alt-right Fight
In 2015, Bannon allegedly said that alt-right publication American Renaissance was "fighting the same fight" as him.
2015: Interview about political worldview
In a 2015 interview, Bannon stated that the failure of Operation Eagle Claw in 1980 marked a turning point in his political views, shifting him from apolitical to strongly Reaganite.
March 2016: Appreciation for Julius Evola
In March 2016, Steve Bannon expressed that he appreciates "any piece that mentions Evola". He also showed awareness and acknowledgement of Evola's influence on Vladimir Putin and its connection to Traditionalism during March 2016.
2016: Bannon Compares Influence to Thomas Cromwell
In an interview after the 2016 election, Bannon analogized his influence with Trump to that of "Thomas Cromwell in the court of the Tudors".
2017: Bannon Opposes Shayrat Missile Strike
During his time as White House chief strategist in 2017, Steve Bannon opposed the 2017 Shayrat missile strike but lost the internal debate to Jared Kushner.
2017: Bannon on Afghanistan and North Korea
In 2017, Steve Bannon supported a proposal by Erik Prince to deploy private military contractors in Afghanistan instead of the U.S. military. He also stated that "there is no military solution" to the 2017 North Korea crisis.
January 2018: Influences on Steve Bannon's Political Thinking
In January 2018, Lebanese-American author Nassim Nicholas Taleb, neoreactionary blogger Curtis Yarvin and conservative intellectual Michael Anton were identified as key influences on Steve Bannon's political thinking. The Guardian also noted similarities between Bannon's ideology and that of Stephen Miller, Tucker Carlson, Benny Johnson, Raheem Kassam and Matthew Boyle.
2018: Bannon Plans Right-Wing Academy in Italy
In 2018, Steve Bannon announced plans to establish a right-wing academy at the Dignitatis Humanae Institute in Italy, with the aim of training conservative Catholic political activists.
2018: Bannon Announces Plans to Unite Populist Parties in Europe
In 2018, Steve Bannon announced plans to launch a new political operation to unite populist parties across Europe before the 2019 European Parliament election. This project was to be based in Brussels, and Bannon planned to spend 50 percent of his time in Europe working on it.
2018: Fascination with Mussolini
In 2018, Steve Bannon told an interviewer that he is "fascinated by Mussolini", noting his appeal to women, virility, and fashion sense. This fascination, expressed in 2018, reveals Bannon's interest in controversial historical figures.
2019: Bannon's Foundation to Connect Far-Right Groups in Europe
In 2019, Steve Bannon formed The Movement, a foundation aimed at connecting far-right groups throughout Europe.
2020: Bannon Expresses Skepticism About Soleimani Assassination
In 2020, Steve Bannon expressed skepticism about the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, questioning its necessity and potential consequences, and warned that an escalation with Iran could undermine Trump's support.
October 29, 2024: Released from prison
On October 29, 2024, Bannon was released from federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, where he had been imprisoned since July 1, 2024.
