Bannon Discussed Plan to 'Take Down' Pope Francis with Epstein, US-Released Messages Show

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Bannon Discussed Plan to 'Take Down' Pope Francis with Epstein, US-Released Messages Show

A trove of documents recently made public by the U.S. Department of Justice, stemming from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, has brought to light a series of email communications from 2019 between Steve Bannon, a prominent political strategist and former White House chief strategist under Donald Trump, and the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These messages suggest that Bannon was orchestrating a political offensive against Pope Francis, whom he reportedly viewed as a significant obstacle to his nationalist and sovereignist agenda. The revelations add a complex layer to the ongoing scrutiny of Epstein's interactions with influential figures.

According to reports by CNN, the dialogues contained within these documents show Bannon explicitly stating his intention to "take down" the Pope. In one direct message to Epstein in June 2019, Bannon outlined his strategy, indicating a calculated effort to challenge the Pontiff's influence. This communication occurred after Bannon's departure from Donald Trump's first administration in 2017, a period during which he intensified his public criticism of Pope Francis. Bannon had frequently characterized the Pope as an opponent of his vision for right-wing populism, particularly its advancement in Europe. In a notable interview with The Spectator magazine, Bannon had previously described Pope Francis as "despicable" and accused him of aligning with "globalist elites," highlighting a deep ideological rift.

The released documents imply that Epstein, who was convicted of sex trafficking and related offenses, was not only aware of Bannon's initiatives but may have also offered encouragement. A significant portion of their correspondence revolved around "In the Vatican Closet" (No Armário do Vaticano), a 2019 book by French journalist Frédéric Martel. This book delves into alleged secrecy and hypocrisy within the upper echelons of the Catholic Church and generated considerable controversy, particularly with its assertion that a substantial number of Vatican clergy are homosexual. Bannon expressed interest in adapting Martel's book into a film, proposing that Epstein serve as an executive producer. However, Epstein's reply sidestepped the film proposal, redirecting the conversation to Bannon's potential interest in filming philosopher Noam Chomsky.

Frédéric Martel himself confirmed to CNN that he had met with Bannon, but stated that no deal could be finalized as the rights to the book were already committed to another company by his publishers. Martel suggested that Bannon sought to "instrumentalize" the book as a tool within his broader campaign against the Pope. Further evidence of this strategy emerged in the documents: on April 1, 2019, Epstein sent himself an email with the subject line "in the Vatican closet." He subsequently forwarded an article to Bannon titled "Pope Francis or Steve Bannon? Catholics must choose." Bannon's succinct reply was "easy choice."

Other messages reveal further attempts to leverage religious themes. In 2018, Epstein wrote to Bannon about trying to "organize a trip for the Pope to the Middle East," suggesting "tolerance" as a potential theme. In another instance, after Bannon shared an article where the Vatican condemned "populist nationalism," Epstein quoted John Milton's "Paradise Lost": "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven."

CNN reported that it had reached out to a representative for Bannon for comment on the messages but received no response. Former President Donald Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein or any allegations of sexual misconduct.

Ekhbary News Agency