Steve Bannon, an influential Donald Trump ally, has arrived at a prison to serve a four-month sentence after he was convicted for defying a congressional subpoena from the committee that probed the 6 January, 2021, US Capitol attack.
Bannon arrived at a low-security federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, and spoke to reporters and a cheering group of supporters. He called himself a “political prisoner”.
“I’m proud of going to prison today,” Bannon said. “I have not only no regrets, I’m proud of what I did.”
Mr Trump is the Republican candidate challenging Democratic President Joe Biden in the 5 November US election.
The sentence could keep Bannon imprisoned almost to election day.
Inmates in federal prison do not have access to the internet or social media, making it difficult for Bannon to communicate with fans of his “War Room” podcast.
Four-month prison sentence
He was sentenced to four months after being convicted in 2022 of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of US Congress.
He was charged after he refused to turn over documents or testify to a Democratic-led House of Representatives committee investigating the Capitol riot by Trump supporters who had sought to prevent congressional certification of Mr Biden’s 2020 election win.
Bannon was a key adviser to Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, then served as his chief White House strategist during 2017 before a falling-out between them that was later patched up.
He also has played an instrumental role in right-wing media.
He initially was allowed to delay starting his prison term while he appealed his conviction to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DC) Circuit.
The DC Circuit ultimately upheld his conviction, prompting US District Court Judge Carl Nichols to order Bannon to report to prison.
Bannon will not be the first former top official from Mr Trump’s White House to go to prison for refusing to cooperate with the committee.
Peter Navarro, a former Trump trade adviser, reported to prison in March after being given a four-month sentence.
The Supreme Court declined Navarro’s request to remain free during his appeal.
Mr Trump in 2021 pardoned Bannon on federal criminal charges accusing him of swindling Trump supporters involving an effort to raise private funds to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.
Bannon has pleaded not guilty to US state charges regarding the border wall fundraising and is awaiting trial.
