Steve Bannon is already cutting deals with Mueller

Steve Bannon will not appear in front of a grand jury following a subpoena from Robert Mueller. Instead the former White House strategist is cutting a deal to meet with special counsel prosecutors in private, according to reports Thursday.

The revelation comes two days after the former Breitbart chief appeared before the House Intelligence Committee probing Russian meddling in the 2016 election and refused to answer questions about his time on the transition team or inside the White House.

Bannon’s attorney relayed questions to the White House in real time during Tuesday's hearing, a move backing up reports that Bannon’s silence was on the direct orders of the Oval Office.

However, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told Fox News Wednesday Bannon was not instructed to “invoke executive privilege in closed testimony before Congress.”

Bannon’s lawyer hit back, telling Axios: “We were told by White House lawyers that Mr. Bannon was not authorized to speak about his time on the transition or in the White House until the Committee and the White House agreed on the proper scope of questioning.”

NBC reported Wednesday that Mueller’s subpoena may have been an effort to stop Bannon talking to the House committee, giving special counsel investigators the first crack at questioning.

Whoever ordered his silence, Bannon may have made a mistake during the closed-door hearing, as the 64-year-old admitted he had conversations with Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer, and legal spokesman Mark Corallo about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with the Russians in Trump Tower in June 2016 — a key event being investigated in Mueller’s probe.

While most White House officials interviewed by Mueller have wanted to preserve access to the president, Bannon's ties with the Trump administration were cut following the recent publication of the White House tell-all "Fire and Fury," in which Bannon accused Trump’s son of treason.

As a close adviser, Bannon would have been fully exposed to the workings of the Oval Office and multiple reports suggest he is willing to tell Mueller everything.

Trump has yet to agree to speak to special counsel, although his attorney, Ty Cobb, told CBS the president is "very eager" to speak to Mueller to put the matter to rest. There are “active discussions” taking place about a special counsel interview, but no formal request has yet been made, Cobb said.