Steve Bannon, a key ally of President Donald Trump and a former top adviser in his first administration, may soon see his criminal contempt of Congress conviction wiped away.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court took action that paves the way for the Trump administration’s Justice Department to dismiss the case against Bannon. The high court sent the matter back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and vacated, or threw out, the lower court’s earlier ruling that had upheld Bannon’s conviction.
Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He defied the order to testify and provide documents about the events leading up to the insurrection. As a result, he served four months in federal prison.
Before he went to prison, Bannon asked the Supreme Court to step in, but the justices declined to hear his appeal at that time. Now, with a new administration in place, the situation has changed. The Trump Justice Department has moved to drop the case, saying it is “in the interests of justice.”
Bannon argued that he did not “willfully” defy the subpoena—a key requirement for a contempt conviction. He claimed he was following the advice of his lawyer, who told him not to testify because of executive privilege concerns raised by former President Trump.
The Supreme Court’s brief order on Monday did not include any detailed explanation or noted dissents. It simply vacated the appeals court decision and returned the case to the lower court, where dismissal is now widely expected.
Bannon has a long history as a prominent and often controversial figure in Trump’s orbit. He played a major role in Trump’s 2016 campaign and briefly served as chief strategist in the White House. He has also faced other legal issues, including a guilty plea related to fraud charges in a “We Build the Wall” fundraising effort.
Legal experts say the court’s move is largely procedural. By vacating the previous ruling at the request of the current Justice Department, the justices are clearing the path for the case to end without further appeals or complications.
Bannon’s lawyers welcomed the development, calling it a victory that finally addresses what they described as an unlawful conviction.
The case highlights the shifting legal landscape following the change in presidential administrations, as the government now seeks to drop charges it once pursued against a political ally.
This article was synthesized from reporting by NPR’s Nina Totenberg and Alyssa Kapasi, along with coverage from other major news outlets.
