Getty Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon
Following months of speculation, President Donald Trump has said “you’re fired” to yet another member of his administration.
The White House announced August 18 that Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, has been relieved of his duties.
Chief of Staff John Kelly and Bannon “mutually agreed” that August 18 was his last day at the White House, a statement said.
NBCNews: JUST IN: White House press secretary releases statement on departure of Steve Bannon
The announcement comes after a weekend of chaos spurred by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. One woman was killed and 19 others were injured when a car drove through a group of counter-protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally.
The 63-year-old media executive is another on a long list of people who have either resigned or have been fired less than seven months into Trump’s presidency.
Bannon has been married and divorced three times in his life and has three adult daughters.
Here’s what you need to know about Bannon’s family:
1. Bannon Had a Daughter with his First Wife
GettySteve Bannon.
Bannon’s first marriage was to Cathleen Suzanne Houff. The couple got married in 1988 and had a daughter together later that year: Maureen. However, the couple ended up divorcing in 1997 for unknown reasons.
2. Bannon’s Daughter Attended West Point & Was a Volleyball Star
Maureen Bannon
Maureen, who’s now 29-years old, attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and was a star on its volleyball team. She was profiled in an ESPN article in 2009 when she helped her team advance to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
“Not many people expected us to be this good, but we proved everyone wrong,” Bannon, the 2009 Patriot League tournament’s Most Valuable Player, said to the news outlet. “It’s something I will never forget, especially since American had won every tournament since they have been in the Patriot League. It was nice taking away the championship on our home court.”
Maureen was the Black Knights’ best player during her senior season. After suffering an ankle injury earlier in the season, she led the NCAA tournament-clinching match with 41 assists.
“She really connected with the freshmen, on and off the court,” Army Coach Alma Kovaci said of Bannon to ESPN. “She talked to them about where they wanted the ball, and how she could help them be successful. She is one of the biggest reasons why we won the championship. The way she runs the offense is very fast and very precise.”
3. Maureen Was Deployed to Iraq
After graduating from the academy, she became a second lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division, which is often known as the “Screamin’ Eagles.”
In 2011, Maureen was deployed to serve in Iraq, where she spent several months. Upon returning home from duty, her father had a joyful message.
Listed Maureen at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Maureen is active in CrossFit, a popular fitness regimen.
4. Bannon Had a Messy Divorce to His 2nd Wife
GettySteve Bannon talks with Peter Schweizer, author of “Clinton Cash” while hosting Brietbart News Daily on SiriusXM Patriot at Quicken Loans Arena on July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Bannon’s second marriage was to Mary Louise Piccard, a former investment banker. The couple got married in April 1995 and had twin daughters that were born just three days after their wedding.
However, the couple filed for a divorce in 1997, and court documents indicate domestic abuse accusations.
According to Politico, a 1996 police report from Santa Monica, Calif. stated that Piccard accused Bannon of “pulling 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. Bannon also reportedly smashed the phone when she tried to call the police.”
The police report indicated that when Piccard told him to find another place to live, Bannon “laughed at her and said he would never move out.”
The police report states that ““she spit at him, and reached up to her from the driver’s seat of his car and grabbed her left wrist. He pulled her down as if he was trying to pull into the car, over the door,” the police report contends. It continues that Piccard alleged “Mr. Bannon grabbed at neck, also pulling her into the car. She said, that she started to fight back, striking at his face, so he would let go of her. After a short period of time she was able to get away from him.”
She fled into the home and Bannon followed her. She reportedly grabbed their twin daughters while on the phone with 911, and Bannon allegedly grabbed it from her and threw it across the room.
Then, a day later, The Associated Press wrote that Piccard alleged in court papers that “Bannon made anti-Semitic remarks when the two battled over sending their daughters to private school nearly a decade ago.”
Bannon’s spokesperson has since denied the accusation and said he was the one who
Piccard allegedly said in the court papers that Bannon, “had objected to sending their twin daughters to an elite Los Angeles academy because he ‘didn’t want the girls going to school with Jews,’” the AP said.
Bannon was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence, battery and dissuading a witness, but the case was eventually dismissed due to witness unavailability.
5. Bannon’s Third Wife Struggled with Substance Abuse
After the marriage with Piccard ended, Bannon entered a relationship with Diane Clohesy, who’s from Ireland. However, the couple got divorced in 2009.
According to a report from The Guardian, Bannon bought a house for her but never lived in it himself.
Clohesy is reportedly a “Tea Party activist,” Salon reported.
She also has some documented drug and alcohol abuse issues, her brother told the Miami New Times, noting that Bannon “has always been there” for her.
“My sister Diane is one of millions of Americans that suffer from drug and alcohol abuse and depression,” he said in a statement to the publication. “Steve has always been there for my sister, whether it be providing emotional or financial support as she battles this horrible disease. The family can’t thank him enough. We appreciate the media respecting my sister’s privacy at this early stage of her recovery.”
Bannon and Clohesy still stay in touch even after the divorce went through. She’s worked on some of the same conservative films that Bannon’s company Brietbart produced.
