According to CNN, Trump’s former adviser and campaign strategist Steve Bannon has come to an agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team in the Russia investigation. Instead of having to testify in front of a grand jury, he’ll be questioned by prosecutors.
Bannon was subpoenaed Tuesday by the House Intelligence Committee after stating he’d been instructed by the White House to not answer questions pertaining to Russia. His lawyer told the committee that, as Trump’s executive privilege wouldn’t apply when speaking with the special counsel, Bannon would cooperate when interviewed by Mueller’s team.
It’s currently unknown whether the subpoena has been or will be rescinded.
Bannon, once one of Trump’s most influential advisers, has been stripped of virtually any power he ever had over the past couple of weeks. After he was quoted having called Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer “treasonous” in the White House tell-all Fire and Fury, he was completely disowned by the president, who released a scathing statement saying Bannon had “lost his mind” after being fired and insisting the former campaign strategist had never had any significant influence on the Trump campaign or administration.
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Though Bannon attempted to backtrack on his comments, no one bought his explanation, and he was ultimately fired from the alt-right site Breitbart and abandoned by his financial supporters, including the billionaire Mercer family. Without Breitbart and no role in the presidential administration, Bannon has lost his biggest tools to wield power.
Whether he’ll try to get back in Trump’s good graces or turn his back on him remains to be seen.
