Bannon also stands out, amid the battle for favors among Trump lawmakers and advisers working to overturn the election, as the only one to finally receive clemency after Jan. 6. to Trump after the election was a factor in the then-president’s last-minute decision to pardon Bannon, over the objection of his top White House lawyer and other advisers, according to a former senior administration official who, like others who were interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive topics. The prospect of Bannon testifying could turn out to be a ruse. Bannon had defied the committee’s subpoena, citing Trump’s claim of executive privilege, even though Bannon was not in the administration at the time of the attack. Now, with Bannon’s trial for contempt of Congress set to begin this month, Trump agreed on Saturday to waive his claim of privilege and encouraged Bannon to finally testify.
