Christoper Rucker

Stephen Bannon, born in 1953, has had a varied career encompassing military service, investment banking, media production, and political strategizing. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1977 to 1983, he worked at Goldman Sachs. He later transitioned into media and entertainment, co-founding Bannon & Co., a boutique investment bank focused on media, and also served as acting director of the Biosphere 2 research project. Bannon produced numerous Hollywood films and documentaries, often with conservative themes.

His involvement in politics escalated when he co-founded Breitbart News in 2007, a platform he described as a voice for the alt-right. Bannon served as chief strategist for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and subsequently in the White House. Following his departure from the administration, he continued to engage in political activism, supporting populist movements globally. Bannon has faced legal challenges, including charges related to the 'We Build the Wall' campaign and contempt of Congress, resulting in a prison sentence.

Following his service in the United States Navy, Stephen Bannon entered the world of finance, working as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. He later co-founded Bannon & Co., an investment bank specializing in the media industry. During this period, Bannon also took on a role as acting director for the Biosphere 2 earth science research project. His engagement with media extended to film production, where he served as an executive producer on eighteen Hollywood films between 1991 and 2016. He also produced documentaries, including one about Ronald Reagan and others focusing on conservative themes and political movements.

In 2007, Bannon became a founding board member of Breitbart News, a website that has been described as a platform for the alt-right. He characterized the site's ideological mix as broader, though he acknowledged the presence of views with racial and anti-Semitic overtones, stating he had zero tolerance for such elements. Bannon's political career saw him serve as chief executive officer for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and later as White House chief strategist. In this role, he advocated for an anti-establishment platform. After leaving the White House, he continued to support national populist conservative political movements internationally.

Bannon's career has been marked by significant legal and public scrutiny. He was involved in the Cambridge Analytica data firm, which faced criticism for its data collection practices. In 2020, he was arrested on federal charges related to the 'We Build the Wall' fundraising campaign, though he was later pardoned by President Trump. He subsequently faced state charges in New York and pleaded guilty to fraud. Additionally, Bannon was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 House select committee, leading to a prison sentence.

“I wasn't political until I got into the service and saw how badly Jimmy Carter fucked things up. I became a huge Reagan admirer. Still am. But what turned me against the whole establishment was coming back from running companies in Asia in 2008 and seeing that [George W.] Bush had fucked up as badly as Carter. The whole country was a disaster.”