Steve Bannon said he is not broken but “empowered” after his Tuesday morning release from federal prison, which comes just in time for Election Day. The former Trump adviser served four months for defying a subpoena from the January 6 congressional committee.
“I am more empowered today, more focused today, sharper today, in better shape today than I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Bannon said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon before directing Representative Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) to “suck on that.” Pelosi, who served as House speaker at the time, oversaw the formation of the January 6 select committee in 2021.
Bannon reported to a federal correctional institution in Danbury, Conn., on July 1 after he was ordered by a federal judge to serve his prison sentence. He was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress: one count for refusing to testify before the January 6 committee and the second for failing to provide documents.
While sentenced in October 2022, Bannon delayed his incarceration by appealing the conviction. A federal appeals court rejected his appeal in May. Despite having already served his sentence, Bannon will continue to appeal the conviction.
Bannon’s daughter, Maureen, greeted him outside the prison on Tuesday. The longtime Trump ally returned to host his War Room television and radio program later Tuesday morning.
“The four months in federal prison not only didn’t break me, it empowered me. I am more energized and more focused than I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Bannon similarly told his audience hours before his statement to the press. “I can see clearly, just like in 2016 and in 2020, exactly what’s going on here and what we have to do to defeat it.”
“Steve Bannon is a Free Man,” War Room co-host Natalie Winters posted on X to celebrate Bannon’s release one week before the presidential election.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.), who has frequently appeared on his show, also welcomed Bannon back. Greene posted, “Let’s win this election and defeat these communists!!”
Before turning himself in to authorities this summer, Bannon said he was “proud of going to prison” and took the opportunity to slam U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland and the “corrupt” Justice Department. He described himself as a “political prisoner” at the time, believing he was imprisoned to hurt the MAGA movement.
“This is about shutting down the MAGA movement, shutting down grassroots conservatives, shutting down President Trump,” Bannon said in June after a Trump-appointed judge ordered he report to prison. “Not only are we winning, we are going to prevail, and every number and every poll shows that. There’s nothing that can shut me up and nothing that will shut me up. There’s not a prison built or a jail built that will ever shut me up. All victory to MAGA.”
Bannon faces additional criminal charges in New York court for allegedly pocketing donations that he said would go toward building a border wall. Starting December 9, he will stand trial for his alleged involvement in the fundraising scam. Bannon pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud, and other charges in the case.
During the news conference, Bannon spoke about the “desperation” of Vice President Kamala Harris and her campaign in pivoting from the “politics of joy” to calling her opponent a “fascist.” He said the working class doesn’t “buy it,” especially minority men. During his time in prison, Bannon had the opportunity to listen to his fellow inmates regarding their thoughts on Harris.
“I was able to listen, to observe, and to learn from working-class minorities, young African American men and Hispanic men, and yes, Puerto Rican men” about how their lives have been worsened by Harris, the “queen of mass incarcerations,” Bannon said.
He added that the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Justice Department are “broken” and “rigged,” suggesting the system needs to be changed from the top down if former president Donald Trump wins the White House for a second time.