Steve Bannon's Net Worth and Financial Overview 2025
Steve Bannon's Net Worth and Financial Overview 2025.
What is Steve Bannon's Net Worth?
Steve Bannon is an American media executive and political consultant with an estimated net worth of $20 million. He is primarily recognized for his role as chief strategist for Donald Trump during the initial seven months of Trump's presidency. Prior to this, Bannon held the position of executive chairman at the far-right news outlet Breitbart and was a board member of the now-defunct data analytics company Cambridge Analytica.
In 2020, Bannon faced arrest and was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. The following year, he was found in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena related to the investigation of the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol.
Bannon has also been involved in the financing and production of several films, including "The Undefeated," "Fire from the Heartland: The Awakening of the Conservative Woman," and "Occupy Unmasked." Additionally, he served as the acting director of Biosphere 2 before transitioning to Hollywood, where he executive produced Anthony Hopkins' 1999 film "Titus."
Finances and Seinfeld Syndication
An April 2017 financial disclosure revealed that Steve Bannon earned several hundred thousand dollars in 2016 while serving as a consultant for various conservative media organizations. The disclosure further indicated that his consulting firm, Bannon Strategic Advisors Inc., was valued between $5 million and $25 million. Additionally, it was noted that he personally maintained bank accounts totaling as much as $2.25 million and owned real estate rental properties valued at approximately $10.5 million.
Of particular interest is the fact that in 1993, Bannon negotiated a deal to acquire an estimated 1% of the syndication profits from the television show "Seinfeld." The show was first sold into syndication in 1995. Over the subsequent two decades, Bannon's 1% equity stake is estimated to have generated around $33 million in dividends.
Arrest
On August 20, 2020, Steve Bannon was apprehended by US Postal Inspectors aboard a 150-foot yacht off the coast of Connecticut. His arrest was linked to a charity known as "We Build the Wall." Bannon, along with several purported co-conspirators, faced charges for allegedly diverting funds from the charity for personal expenditures and acquisitions. The yacht on which Bannon was detained is owned by Guo Wengui, a Chinese billionaire and one of China's most wanted fugitives.
Notably, during the same week of Bannon's arrest, multiple banks froze accounts associated with fundraising activities of a company named GTV Media Group. Bannon and Wengui are reportedly the principal executives of GTV, which raised $300 million in a private offering in the spring of 2020.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Stephen Bannon was born on November 27, 1953, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Doris, a homemaker, and Martin, a telephone lineman. He has Irish heritage along with some German ancestry. In his youth, Bannon attended Benedictine College Preparatory, a Catholic military institution located in Richmond. He later enrolled at Virginia Tech, where he worked at a local junkyard during the summer months. After earning a degree in urban planning from Virginia Tech, he served as an officer in the United States Navy for seven years. During his military service, he also completed a master's degree in national security studies at Georgetown University and obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School.
After concluding his Navy service, Bannon joined Goldman Sachs as an investment banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions Department. In 1987, he relocated to Los Angeles to help the firm enhance its footprint in the entertainment sector. Three years later, he and several colleagues established their own boutique investment bank, Bannon & Co. While overseeing this venture, he also took on the role of director for the earth science research initiative known as Biosphere 2, which was based in Oracle, Arizona.
Media Career
Bannon became deeply involved in the media landscape by the early 1990s, taking on the role of executive producer for several Hollywood films, including "The Indian Runner" and "Titus." In 2002, he collaborated with entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz at The Firm, Inc., a management company.
This partnership led to the production of a documentary on Ronald Reagan titled "In the Face of Evil," which subsequently connected him with conservative journalist and publisher Andrew Breitbart, who controversially likened Bannon to the Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Bannon continued to finance and produce various extreme right-wing projects, such as "The Undefeated" and "Occupy Unmasked."
From 2007 to 2011, he held the positions of CEO and chair at Affinity Media. He also served as vice president of the board for Cambridge Analytica, which employed illicit data analytics to influence American voters during the 2016 presidential election.
Among his most infamous media ventures, Bannon was a founding member of Breitbart News, a far-right website known for its overtly racist, xenophobic, antisemitic, and sexist content. He became the executive chair of the website's parent company in 2012 and made a brief return in 2017 after his short tenure at the White House. In 2018, Bannon was removed from Breitbart and subsequently established Citizens of the American Republic, a dark money organization.
Political Career
In August 2016, Bannon was appointed as the chief executive of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. After Trump's election victory, he took on the roles of chief strategist and senior counselor. Together with Stephen Miller, Bannon played a pivotal role in formulating the controversial executive order that imposed travel and immigration restrictions on several Muslim-majority nations. He was eventually dismissed from his position in April 2017 and officially exited the White House in August of the same year.
Subsequent to his departure from the White House, Bannon traveled across Europe to participate in various far-right political gatherings, aiming to establish a global coalition of fascist parties. In August 2020, Bannon and three other individuals were indicted by federal prosecutors in New York for allegedly defrauding donors in a significant crowdfunding initiative that purported to raise funds for the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border. Bannon pleaded not guilty and received a pardon from Trump prior to the commencement of his trial.
Social Media Prohibition
Following the issuance of death threats against infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci on social media in November 2020, Bannon faced a permanent ban from Twitter, mirroring the fate of his former superior, Donald Trump.
Contempt of Legislative Authority
In September 2021, Bannon was served a subpoena by the US House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Attack, compelling him to appear on October 14. His failure to comply led the House of Representatives to vote in favor of holding him in criminal contempt of Congress. Consequently, he was referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.
Political Ideology and Personal Background
Bannon is known for his opposition to immigration, his rejection of climate change, and his support for populist authoritarian movements both in the United States and across Europe.
Regarding his personal life, Bannon has experienced multiple marriages and divorces. His first marriage was to Cathleen Suzanne Houff, with whom he shares a daughter named Maureen. After their divorce, he married former investment banker Mary Louise Piccard in 1995, with whom he had twin daughters before their separation in 1997. During this marriage, Bannon faced charges related to misdemeanor domestic violence, battery, and witness intimidation. In 2006, he married Diane Clohesy, but their marriage ended in divorce in 2009.
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Steve Bannon's career is marked by controversy and legal troubles, overshadowing his media and political achievements. Despite his early success in business and media, his involvement in far-right politics and inflammatory rhetoric has alienated many. His tenure at Breitbart News and role in the Trump administration, particularly in shaping controversial policies, left a divisive legacy.
Legal issues, including charges related to fraud and contempt of Congress, have further tarnished his reputation. Bannon's personal life, marred by multiple divorces and allegations of domestic violence, only adds to the negative perception of a man whose influence has been largely polarizing.