The Next Karl Rove? 5 Facts About Trump's Top Advisor Steve Bannon
President-elect Donald Trump recently garnered controversy for his decision to appoint Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon as his top advisor.
A figure known for his ties to the alt-Right, Bannon's appointment to the influential position has been denounced by many Democrats and Republicans.
But who is Steve Bannon? Here are five facts about the man who some believe may become for Trump what Karl Rove was for former President George W. Bush and what Valerie Jarrett is for President Barack Obama.
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1. He Served in the Armed Forces
Before entering the world of online news media and rightwing political activism, Bannon served his country in the United States Navy.
"Born into a poor family in Norfolk, Virginia, Mr Bannon grew up in sight of the naval yard and signed up on leaving college, spending four years at sea aboard a destroyer," noted the Telegraph.
"Mr Bannon left the navy and studied for an MBA at Harvard Business School, landing a job at Goldman Sachs. Mr Bannon threw himself into investment banking – loving the long hours and camaraderie, and likening it to being in the nerve centre of a warship."
The military still appears to be present in Bannon's life, as his daughter Maureen attended West Point and eventually served in the 101st Airborne Division.
2. He Has a Liberal Background
While Bannon is synonymous with rightwing ideology, his family background was much less conservative politically speaking.
In an interview with Bloomberg from last year, Bannon explained that "I come from a blue-collar, Irish Catholic, pro-Kennedy, pro-union family of Democrats."
Bannon went on to tell Bloomberg that his rightward turn politically came from what he felt were failures on the part of the administration of Democrat President Jimmy Carter.
"I wasn't political until I got into the service and saw how badly Jimmy Carter f----d things up. I became a huge Reagan admirer. Still am," said Bannon.
"But what turned me against the whole establishment was coming back from running companies in Asia in 2008 and seeing that Bush had f----d up as badly as Carter. The whole country was a disaster."
3. Charged With Domestic Violence, Which Was Eventually Dropped
In 1996, Bannon was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence when his then-wife claimed that he had physically attacked her.
"The Santa Monica, Calif., police report says that Bannon's then-wife claimed he pulled at her neck and wrist during an altercation over their finances, and an officer reported witnessing red marks on her neck and wrist to bolster her account," reported Politico in an article from August.
"Bannon, through a spokeswoman, said he was never interviewed by the police about the incident. Bannon pleaded 'not guilty' to the allegations and was represented by a local criminal defense attorney during the proceedings. The couple — who had twin girls — were divorced shortly after the criminal charges were dropped in August 1996."
4. Funded Conservative Documentaries
In addition to overseeing Breitbart and being part of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, Bannon has served as producer for several conservative documentaries.
The website Internet Movie Database lists seventeen credits as of Tuesday, including "In the Face of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed," "Fire from the Heartland," "Battle for America," and "Clinton Cash."
His most recently completed project, titled "The Last 600 Meters" focuses on two major battles that took place during the Iraq War.
"The Last 600 Meters, a 90-minute documentary, will look at the two biggest battles of the Iraq war, Najaf and Fallujah, through the firsthand testimony of those who fought them," stated Manifold Productions, which helped produce the documentary.
"It offers perspectives on these battles, and lessons for warfare in the future. Underwriters include the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation."
5. Has Ties to the Alt Right
A major source of controversy for Bannon are his ties to the "Alt Right" movement, especially while serving as head of Breitbart News following the death of its founder, Andrew Breitbart.
Ben Shapiro, a conservative writer who once worked at Breitbart News, penned a column at the Daily Wire denouncing the editorial decisions and personal character of Bannon.
"Many former employees of Breitbart News are afraid of Steve Bannon. He is a vindictive, nasty figure, infamous for verbally abusing supposed friends and threatening enemies," wrote Shapiro.
"He will attempt to ruin anyone who impedes his unending ambition, and he will use anyone bigger than he is – for example, Donald Trump – to get where he wants to go. Bannon knows that in the game of thrones, you win or die. And he certainly doesn't intend to die."
According to the New York Times, since he became chairman of Breitbart the publication has seen many fringe ideas associated with the Alt Right find acceptance on their website.
"The site has accused President Obama of 'importing more hating Muslims'; compared Planned Parenthood's work to the Holocaust; called the conservative commentator Bill Kristol a 'renegade Jew'," reported the Times.
"[The site also] advised female victims of online harassment to 'just log off' and stop 'screwing up the internet for men,' illustrating that point with a picture of a crying child."
