USA: Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon released from prison

Former US President Donald Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon has been released from prison after serving a four-month prison sentence, according to media reports. The 70-year-old was picked up by his daughter from the detention center in the state of Connecticut early on Tuesday morning (local time), a week before the day of the US election on November 5th, reported the broadcaster CNN, among others, citing a source with the Matter trusted person.

The ultra-right journalist and conspiracy theorist was convicted because he ignored a subpoena from the committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and did not provide requested documents. Bannon portrayed the allegations against him as politically motivated.

The former Trump campaign manager and host of the “War Room” podcast made it clear during his prison sentence that he wanted to continue to influence the elections and mobilize the Trump base. According to CNN, he wants to take back control of his struggling right-wing media platform. Despite his prison stay, he is said to have remained in contact with a small circle of loyal followers to discuss current news and political issues. According to the CNN report, Bannon could host his show again as early as Tuesday.

Trump’s supporters stormed the parliament building on January 6, 2021. At that time, Congress formally confirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Trump incited his supporters during a speech that he had been deprived of his election victory through massive fraud. To this day, the Republican does not recognize his defeat. A House committee investigated the storming of the Capitol and called on Bannon and other Trump confidants to cooperate, but they refused.