Update (2/19/26): This piece was updated to correct a transcription error.
Newsmax host criticizes Steve Bannon for his relationship with Epstein: “Some of the exchanges between Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein -- it makes my hair go up”
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From the February 18, 2026, edition of Newsmax's Carl Higbie Frontline
CARL HIGBIE (HOST): But something that really caught my eye was a few emails from a guy who has made his career about railing against the deep state in the system and the bad actors in it, emails talking about trying to get integrated in some groups that had super shady intentions. And I'm talking about a guy that I used to call my friend, Steve Bannon.
Folks, I told you that when the Epstein list came out, I would have zero loyalties to anyone that was doing or exposed for doing anything that appeared to be illegal, immoral, contrary to their public statements or anything. And here it is.
Look, this is a part of the Epstein files that's gone overlooked. Beyond the pedos and all the other weird stuff, something that affects far more than just kids on an island, which is bad, but world order and circumventing literally our constitutional republic. And Bannon appears to have some really shady conversations with people who might be trying to do that.
Look, I was -- I'll tell you folks, I was a Bannon defender early -- I really liked the guy back in the day. I was a defender of his when he was in the first administration. So this -- I could have gotten it wrong. OK?
But Steve Bannon exchanged thousands of emails with Epstein post-conviction. Why? And I want to be fair to him before I go any further, he did release a statement that said, quote, a spokesman for Bannon confirmed that his interactions with Epstein were an attempt to integrate himself with him for the documentary. OK, then why are some of these emails about paying a complex network of hackers? Look, I'm just going to read some of this stuff verbatim. The following is presented without my opinion and reading directly from the emails. You can decide if this is about a documentary. And some of the exchanges between Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein -- it makes my hair go up.
...
Let's look at some of the other stuff from these files to that even goes crazier than this stuff with Bannon. Why was he talking about replacing Trump, swapping Pompeo as the VP with Mike Pence, and then using the 25th amendment to make Pompeo the president? These are text messages with what is assumed to be Epstein confirmed to be with Bannon.
Quote, I like the idea of pence stepping down in favor of Pompeo. So when it happens, he becomes president. That's from allegedly Epstein. And I'm thinking, it? What do you mean by it? Bannon responding, that is his name, has this been shopped? Epstein replies, Rudy did lay out impeachment. Pelosi vote and don't go after Ivanka. Bannon says great. Great? Impeaching Trump? I mean, we now know Pompeo was not a product of MAGA doctrine and was heavily critical of Trump once he left his first term showing his true colors, and Bannon wanted him to become president? I mean, am I reading that -- there's a possibility that Bannon did nothing wrong and these are being misinterpreted. There's a possibility, giving him the benefit of the doubt here, considering he was like -- I defended this guy. I thought he was good for the administration initially, but there's some splaining to do about beyond talking about a documentary to revitalize Jeffrey Epstein's image.