Steve Bannon Released Ahead of U.S. Election

Steve Bannon, a former senior advisor to Donald Trump, was released from federal prison in Connecticut after serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. His conviction was for defying a subpoena related to the investigation of the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Bannon, who describes himself as a 'political prisoner,' claims his imprisonment empowered him and plans to support Trump's presidential campaign through his influential 'War Room' podcast. Despite his release, Bannon faces additional charges in New York for allegedly defrauding donors in a border wall fundraising scheme, with his trial set for December. His legal team argues the congressional subpoena was invalid due to executive privilege, but a federal appeals court upheld the conviction. Bannon's release comes a week before the U.S. election, as Trump seeks to regain the presidency against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.