Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon lashed out at President Joe Biden and promised to go on offense after appearing before a judge on criminal contempt charges on Monday afternoon.

'I'm never gonna back down and they they took on the wrong guy this time,' he told a throng of waiting journalists.  

Bannon, 67, is the first person to face criminal charges in the congressional probe into the role played by former President Trump and his aides in the runup to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as they sought to overturn election results.

He faces two misdemeanour charges of contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to a House subpoena. 

'This is going to be the misdemeanour from hell for Merrick Garland, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden,' he said after his first court appearance.

'Joe Biden ordered Merrick Garland to prosecute me from the White House lawn when he got off Marine One, and we're going to go on the offence. 

'We're tired of playing defense.' 

As might be expected from one of Trump's top propagandists, he used the media attention to deliver his verdict on the case against him - after earlier livestreaming the moment he gave himself up to the FBI.  

Bannon did not enter a plea during the brief hearing before Washington D.C. Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather.

He was released without bail but is required to check in weekly with officials. He was also ordered to surrender his passport. 

He is due back in court on Thursday.