Stephen Kevin Bannon is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. In his political career, he served as the White House’s chief strategist in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Steve is also a former executive chairman of Breitbart News and has previously served on the data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica board.
Steve, for seven years, was a Navy officer in the United States Navy from the 1970s and 1980s. After this service, he also worked as an investment banker for two years at Goldman Sachs. Further, in 1993, Steve became acting director of the research project Biosphere 2 and an executive producer in Hollywood, producing numerous films between the 1990s and 2000s. Later, in 2007, Steve co-founded Breitbart News, a far-right website.
In 2016, Steve became the chief executive officer of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and was appointed chief strategist and senior counselor to the president following Trump’s election. After eight months, he left the position and rejoined Breitbart. In January 2018, Trump disputed Steve for critical comments mentioned in the book Fire and Fury and left Breitbart.
Steve Bannon Sentenced To Four Months In Prison
On 20th August 2020, a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed against Steve Bannon and three others; they were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. In the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, federal prosecutors allege that Steve and the other defendants used funds from the We Build the Wall fundraising campaign and from the market to support building a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. These funds were “inconsistent” with how they were advertised for use to the public. According to the allegation, donations were collected through a GoFundMe campaign launched in December 2018.
Federal prosecutors also allege that all men conspired to use a non-profit group run by Steve to make payments for personal use, despite the promises made to the donors that their contributions would go to build a wall. Prosecutors also alleged that Steve received around $1 million in connection with the plan, including an amount paid to Kolfage in secret, some of which he and two other defendants allegedly used for personal expenses like paying off credit cards for personal travel.
Steve was arrested on Long Island Sound, off the coast of Connecticut, by U.S. Postal Inspectors on board People’s Republic of China expatriate Guo Wengui’s luxury yacht. That same day, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released pending trial on a $5 million bond, of which Steve was required to put up $1.7 million. In addition, he was required to surrender his passport, and Steve’s domestic travel was restricted.
Prosecutors revealed that they had collected many emails found on various devices and online storage accounts after search warrants were executed.
On 20th January 2021, Trump granted Bannon a pardon for the federal charges. Although Steve received a federal pardon in the 2020 federal case against him from President Trump, he was chargeable with crimes by a state.
After Steve did not appear on 23rd September 2021, the House of Representatives voted to hold him in criminal contempt of Congress and referred him to the Justice Department. On 19th October, the nine-member Committee’s unanimous vote initiated the case. On 12th November 2021, Steve was indicted by a federal grand jury on 2 criminal contempt charges: first for not providing documents and the other for not testifying. Three days later, he surrendered to the FBI and was represented by criminal defense attorney David Schoen.
Steve was released pending trial, without bail, but on some conditions, like keeping authorities informed of his whereabouts and not leaving the country.
The trial proceedings began on 18th July 2022, and the jury was finalized the next day. Steve declined to call witnesses or testify in his defense.
Later, on 22nd July 2022, the jury found him guilty on both charges. Bennie Thompson ( the chairman) and Liz Cheney (vice-chairman) of the 6th January Committee called Steve’s conviction a victory for the rule of law and an essential affirmation of the Select Committee’s work.
On 21st October, he was sentenced to four months in prison; however, he is expected to appeal the conviction.
Steve Bannon Early Life:
Full Real Name | Stephen Kevin Bannon |
Family Name | Bannon |
Profession | Media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker |
Date Of Birth | November 27th, 1953 |
Age | 68 years old |
Birthday | November 27th |
Year Of Birth | 1953 |
Nick Name | Steve |
Current Residence | Virginia |
Country | USA |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Religion | N/A |
Steve was born on 27th November 1953 in Norfolk, Virginia. He grew up in a working-class family, and the family belonged to pro-Kennedy and pro-union Democrats. Steve is of German and Irish descent, and most people on his mother’s side are settled in the Baltimore area. Further, he spent his summers working at a local junkyard in his childhood.
Steve Bannon Family Background:
Father | Martin J. Bannon Jr. |
Mother | Doris |
Brothers | Chris Bannon and Mike Bannon |
Sisters | Mary Beth Meredith |
Steve was born to Doris, a homemaker, and Martin J. Bannon Jr., an AT&T telephone lineman and a middle manager. He has a brother named Chris Bannon, a T.V. producer; his other siblings are Mary Beth Meredith and Mike Bannon.
Steve Bannon Education:
Highest Qualification | 2 Master\’s degree |
University | Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Harvard Business School |
College | Virginia Tech |
High School | Benedictine College Preparatory |
In 1971, Steve graduated from Benedictine College Preparatory, a private, Catholic, military high school in Richmond, and then attended Virginia Tech, where he served as the student government association president.
In 1976 Steve graduated with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning from Virginia Tech College. Further, in 1983, he earned a master’s degree in national security studies from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service while serving in the navy.
In 1985, Steve also got a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.
Steve Bannon Physical stats:
Weight In Kg | 75kgs |
Height In Feet | 5\’11\” |
Hair Color | Grayish |
Eye Color | Hazel |
Steve has maintained his health. He stands 5’11” tall and weighs around 75kgs. Due to his age, his hair color is greyish.
Steve Bannon Birth Signs:
Sun Sign | Sagittarius |
Star Sign | Sagittarius |
Birth Sign Duality | Assertive |
Birth Sign Modality | Mutable |
Steve is currently 68 years old. His birth sign is Sagittarius, and his birth sign duality is Assertive. Further, the birth sign modality and element is Mutable Fire.
Steve Bannon Net worth:
Net Worth | $10 Million to $25 Million |
Steve’s estimated networth should be between $10 Million to $25 Million. He has worked in several sectors throughout his career.
Steve Bannon Relationship Status:
Spouse Name | Cathleen Houff Jordan (1988), Mary Piccard (1995-1997) and Diane Clohesy (2006-2009) |
Daughters | Maureen, Emily Piccard and Grace Piccard |
No Of Children | 3 |
Marital Status | divorced |
Steve’s first marriage was to Cathleen Suzanne Houff. Their daughter was born in 1988, named Maureen; after the birth, the couple subsequently divorced.
Steve’s second marriage was to Mary Louise Piccard, in April 1995, who was a former investment banker. The couple’s twin daughters were born three days after the wedding. Later, in 1997, Mary filed for the dissolution of their marriage.
Further, Steve’s third marriage was to Diane Clohesy, a model; they married in 2006 and divorced in 2009.
Steve was charged with domestic violence in early January 1996 after his second wife, Mary, accused him of domestic abuse. The Santa Monica Police Department crime report states that after Mary called 911, an officer arrived at their home, and he observed red marks on her wrist and neck. Later, the charges were dropped when Mary did not appear in court.
Steve Bannon Career:
Steve began working with ‘Goldman Sachs,’ a worldwide famous investment bank and financial services company, after obtaining his MBA degree. During his time in the company, Steve worked as an investment banker in the company’s acquisitions and mergers department.
In the late 1980s, the company eyed Hollywood and expanded its reach, ultimately venturing into the media industry. Steve moved to Los Angeles and was made a company vice president before he left it 2 years later.
He gathered a few employees from ‘Goldman Sachs’ and laid the foundation of an independent investment and banking company titled ‘Bannon & Co.’
Steve began working as an advisor to a production house and bought support in the hit sitcom ‘Seinfeld,’ which also turned out to be a highly successful deal.
In the 1990s, Steve began working as an executive producer after discovering that the entertainment industry was vastly profitable. In 1991, he made his debut production film, ‘The Indian Runner,’ which was a box-office disaster. Later, in 1999, he also produced a film, ‘Titus.’
In the 2000s, Steve began directing films, and in 2004, he made a documentary film ‘In the Face of Evil,’ based on former U.S. president Ronald Reagan. Subsequently, he got involved in the funding and production of various films, including ‘Occupy Unmasked’ and ‘The Undefeated.’
In 2007, Steve exhibited his sentiments in the documentary Destroying the Great Satan: The Rise of Islamic Fascism in America.’ It was a controversial film that demeaned Jews and Muslims and accused many media and government agencies of helping establish an Islamic nation.
Further, Steve has also served as a vice president at ‘Cambridge Analytica.’ The firm came under scrutiny after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as it was charged with stealing data to entice American voters. This company was co-owned by the Mercer family.
In 2007, ‘Breitbart News’ was started by Steve, one of the company’s co-founders. It is a right-wing media organization consistently targets liberals, ‘Democrats,’ and progressives. Since its inception, the portal has been criticized for being racist, anti-LGBT, and sexist.
In 2016, Steve confirmed that ‘Breitbart News’ was an alt-right media organization, and under his leadership, the portal had become nationalist in its viewpoint.
In 2015, Steve began hosting a radio show which focused on alt-right sentiments. The show, ‘Breitbart News Daily,’ had Donald Trump as one of its recurring guests. Back then, Steve was in the early stages of his presidential nomination, and it was via this show that he was able to build a friendship with Trump.
In August 2016, an official announcement was made that Steve would be serving as the chief executive officer of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. He carefully strategized plans, including creating a general distrust of Trump’s opponent, instilling fear in the public about border-related issues and Hillary Clinton. In November 2016, Trump’s populist message was enhanced, and he won.
At the beginning of Trump’s term as the president, Steve served him as a senior counsel. Many said he was behind Trump’s courageous policies, like banning immigrants from seven Muslim countries. Later, Trump created a new position in his cabinet, only for Steve, as the “chief strategist.”
In January 2017, he was appointed as a senior committee member in the ‘National Security Council.’
However, later he was removed from the position in April 2017. Nevertheless, Steve maintained his support for Trump; and later declared that the mainstream American media was behaving like an opposition party and was criticizing every step of Trump. However, Steve had several clashes over many issues with other cabinet members and Trump family members. In August 2017, he resigned from the senior consultant position to the president and the chief strategist of the ‘White House.’ On the same day, it was officially announced by ‘Breitbart News’ saying Steve would be joining the organization again. Later, in the editorial meeting, he declared that he was ready to go against anybody who was against Trump.
In 2018, a controversial book ‘Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, was released; this caused an issue between Trump and Steve as the book featured several controversial statements attributed to Steve. He tried to mend things with Trump, but it was useless. Further, he was fired as the executive chairman of ‘Breitbart.’ However, Steve continued working with the organization.
Steve Bannon Social Appearance:
Steve on Instagram and Twitter has more than 32.5K and 3K followers, respectively.