The Supreme Court of the United States has cleared the way for the Justice Department under Donald Trump to move forward with dismissing the criminal contempt-of-Congress case against former White House adviser Steve Bannon, marking a significant development in one of the most closely watched legal cases tied to the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol attack investigation.
In a brief order, the court vacated a lower appellate ruling that had upheld Bannon’s conviction and returned the case for reconsideration following the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charges. The decision effectively allows federal prosecutors to pursue ending the case in lower court proceedings.
Bannon had been convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the January 6 attack. He later served a four-month prison sentence in 2024 related to that conviction.
The Justice Department argued earlier this year that dismissing the case would serve the “interests of justice,” a position that prompted the Supreme Court to send the matter back to the appeals court for reconsideration in light of the government’s motion.
Legal analysts say the ruling does not itself erase the conviction immediately but clears the procedural obstacle preventing prosecutors from moving to dismiss it. The final outcome will depend on action by lower courts reviewing the government’s request.
The development comes amid broader shifts in Justice Department policy under Trump’s administration, including reconsideration of several prosecutions involving figures connected to earlier investigations tied to the Capitol attack and related political disputes.
Supporters of Bannon described the decision as a step toward correcting what they view as an unjust prosecution, while critics warned it could reshape expectations around congressional subpoena enforcement in future investigations.
Further proceedings are expected as the case returns to lower courts for the next phase of review.
