Overview
- Newly released Justice Department documents include a June 2019 message in which Steve Bannon wrote to Jeffrey Epstein, “Will take down (Pope) Francis.”
- The messages show Bannon floated Epstein as executive producer of a film adaptation of Frédéric Martel’s In the Closet of the Vatican.
- Epstein emailed himself the book title in April 2019 and later sent Bannon an article framing a choice between the pontiff and Bannon, to which Bannon replied, “easy choice.”
- Vatican-linked commentators, including Rev. Antonio Spadaro and biographer Austen Ivereigh, said the exchanges reflect an effort to weaponize faith for political ends.
- The revelations have renewed scrutiny of Bannon’s Europe projects, including the contested Trisulti academy, though associates say Epstein was not involved and no new legal actions tie to these files.