Washington | Former President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Steve Bannon on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) sought to portray the criminal charges over his defiance of a congressional inquiry into the deadly January 6 Capitol riot as politically motivated, lashing out at President Joe Biden and others.

Mr Bannon, indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday on two counts of contempt of Congress, made his first court appearance, with Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather releasing him on his personal recognisance after a brief hearing. Hours earlier, Mr Bannon turned himself in at an FBI field office in Washington, flanked by black-clad bodyguards.

Reuters