Image by: Gage Skidmore

Steve Bannon, Political Advisor To Trump

Steve Bannon served as Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to President Donald J. Trump from January 20, 2017, until his departure on August 18, 2017. A key figure in Trump’s 2016 campaign, Bannon was instrumental in shaping its populist, nationalist America First message as an advisor to Trump. Before joining the campaign, he was executive chairman of Breitbart News, a conservative media outlet that Bannon utilized along with President Trump's outstanding ability to convey his message of restoring the American dream. He played a central role in the administration’s emphasis on economic nationalism and border security policies. Bannon was also instrumental in the opposition towards what is viewed as the "globalist" establishment of Washington, D.C.

Bannon's role in the White House was highly influential during the early months of the Trump administration. He was seen as a driving force behind some of its most controversial policies, largely targeted at immigration. Amongst his most notable contributions was his work on Executive Order 13769 supporting the travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. The Executive Order was introduced just days after Trump's inauguration, which effectively barred entry for all refugees who did not possess either a visa or valid travel documents for 120 days. This was pivotal to the Trump administration, as in 2016, Trump campaigned on issuing a "Muslim ban" in an attempt to curb radical extremism and to combat the rise of terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists in the United States.

Bannon's War Documentary.

Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council's Committee sparked mixed opinions and commentary. His tenure was short as Bannon was realistically only taking the place of General Flynn, who stepped down in February of 2017. Bannon left that post in April 2017, having only attended a maiden official NSC meeting. The move caused speculation about possible internal power struggles within the Trump administration. Bannon’s tenure was marked by tension with other senior officials, including Jared Kushner and H.R. McMaster. Amidst rising conflicts, his increasingly high media profile, and controversial statements contributed to his departure in August 2017. Steve Bannon and the White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly, concluded that they would mutually agree to part ways. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, said in a statement. “We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.”

After leaving the White House, Bannon returned to Breitbart and continued advocacy through his media presence in the USA and Europe. His departure did not mark the end of his relationship with Trump, but their alliance became strained following quotes attributed to Bannon in the 2018 published book Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff. Since then, Steve Bannon and Donald Trump have restored their relationship, citing an appearance in 2023 where Steve Bannon and Donald Trump united on Bannon's War Room Podcast and engaged in patriotic dialogue.