The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday vacated the conviction of Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, for contempt of Congress. The court’s unsigned order remanded the case to a lower court, where the Trump administration has requested dismissal of Bannon’s indictment and conviction. Bannon, a prominent figure on the far-right, was convicted in 2022 for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He served a four-month prison sentence in 2024.
The Supreme Court’s decision follows an appeal by Bannon, who argued that he was awaiting legal advice on whether Trump’s executive privilege shielded him from testifying. The Trump administration, which joined the appeal in February, described the move as a correction from what it called the prior administration’s weaponization of the justice system. The Justice Department under Trump has since requested the dismissal of the case, citing prosecutorial discretion.
Bannon’s legal team contended that the trial judge had prevented him from presenting a defense based on executive privilege. However, a federal appeals court ruled in 2024 that reliance on legal advice was not a valid defense against contempt of Congress. The Supreme Court’s order did not provide an explanation for its decision, and no justices dissented.
The case has drawn attention due to its political implications, with critics arguing that the dismissal could set a precedent for future congressional investigations. Supporters of Bannon and the Trump administration have framed the decision as a victory for executive privilege and prosecutorial discretion.