Former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon was released from federal prison in Connecticut on Tuesday morning after four months behind bars for his conviction on contempt of Congress charges.
Bannon, 70, was imprisoned on July 1 after he was convicted for not complying with a subpoena from the Democrat-run January 6 Committee in 2022. The committee had instructed Bannon to testify and produce certain documents, which he declined to do, citing executive privilege. After an attempt to stay the sentence pending appeal and denial to review the case by the Supreme Court, Bannon reported to federal prison.
“If you’re not prepared to go to prison to fight for your country,” Bannon told the New York Times on Tuesday. “You’re not prepared to fight for your country.”
The former Trump aide is expected to speak at a news conference in Manhattan later on Tuesday. Before he went into the prison, Bannon said that the Justice Department was targeting him for his political views.
“I am proud to go to prison,” he said. “If this is what it takes to stand up to tyranny; if this is what it takes to stand up to the [Attorney General Merrick] Garland corrupt criminal DOJ; if this is what it takes to stand up to Nancy Pelosi; if this is what it takes to stand up to Joe Biden — I’m proud to do it.”
Former President Donald Trump decried the prosecution at the time, posting on Truth Social that Bannon’s imprisonment was a “Total and Complete American Tragedy.”
“The unAmerican Weaponization of our Law Enforcement has reached levels of Illegality never thought possible before,” he posted on Truth Social.
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Bannon is not the only former Trump ally who has spent time behind bars. Peter Navarro, the director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy under Trump, served four months in prison earlier this year after being convicted on contempt of Congress charges.
Navarro, 75, was convicted and sentenced after he did not show up for a deposition with the January 6 Committee and did not provide it with certain documents, also citing the doctrine of executive privilege.
“I’m afraid for this country because this, what they’re doing, should have a chilling effect on every American regardless of their party,” Navarro said before turning himself in to federal authorities in March. “They come for me, they can come for you.”
Navarro completed his sentence on July 17. Just hours after his release, Navarro traveled to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to speak.
“The J6 committee demanded that I betray Donald John Trump to save my own skin,” Navarro said during his convention speech. “I refused.”
