Steve Bannon, who reportedly communicated with Jeffrey Epstein extensively, nods along while his guest accuses a Democratic senator of second-hand ties to Epstein

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Steve Bannon is all over the released Epstein files:

Bannon and Epstein exchanged hundreds of emails and text messages, including a text exchange on the day of Epstein’s arrest on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Just 2 articles mentioned that Bannon and Epstein had been in regular communication in the months leading up to Epstein’s detainment. Bannon also recorded 15 hours of unaired interview footage of Epstein that year, reportedly to provide Epstein with media training and to help rehabilitate his image, which only a single New York Times article mentioned. (Bannon has denied that characterization and claimed he “never media-trained anyone.”)

According to the released files, Bannon requested to film Epstein at his private island, which Epstein agreed to. Epstein also invited Bannon to his other residences, which was mentioned in just 3 articles. Epstein appears to have offered to arrange a charter flight for Bannon, leading him to joke that he was Bannon’s “travel agent.” Just 2 articles mentioned that Epstein had arranged travel for Bannon. Epstein apparently also helped connect Bannon with far-right European politicians, which was alluded to in a single Washington Post article that discussed Epstein’s advice to Bannon for engaging with foreign leaders. Additionally, Bannon told Epstein that MAGA could help shield him for a “decade” from the social movements demanding accountability for sexual harassment and assaults committed by powerful men.

A further release included pictures of Bannon and Epstein together.

Not sure how the Bannon-Epstein relationship hasn't been explored more, but House Democrats releasing these photos should draw some worthy attention to it: pic.twitter.com/O2UVzkCyLG

— Isaac Saul (@Ike_Saul) December 12, 2025

From the December 16, 2025, edition of Real America's Voice's War Room

STEVE BANNON (HOST): But what we need him to do is recall Mark Kelly today, Captain Mark Kelly, and we need the trial — convene a court-martial and let's roll. Jack Posobiec, you're living rent-free in his head, sir.

JACK POSOBIEC (GUEST): Wait, Steve, I'm sorry, did you say Captain Mark Kelly? Cause I'm thinking maybe, I'm thinking maybe Lieutenant Mark Kelly. I'm thinking maybe Ensign Mark Kelly by the time — Butter Bar Mark Kelly. I'm thinking George Mark Kelly when we're done with all this.

No, Mark Kelly, if you want to get up there and you want to talk all your smack, you want to talk all your trash, then let's talk. Let's talk about your wife and her best friend Hillary Clinton, and let's talk about her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. I'm more than happy to have those conversations.

But if you want to get up there and undermine the commander in chief, undermine the president of the United States, and undermine the chain of command, while you, sir, are collecting a pension from the United States taxpayers and are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Mark Kelly, then you better be ready for all that entails because you haven't been paying attention, and I think you better start brushing up.

BANNON: But in the Pentagon, you got to have, we got to move this along. It's taking too long. I don't want to have an operational review and a thing. Just get it done. It's in war. Just do things, right. Move, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It's just, it's too bureaucratic. It's too procedural. It's too slow. Let's move it, let's recall Kelly today. 

POSOBIEC: I say take him to the mast. I say mast him. Mast him. 

BANNON: I don't want to hear, yeah, I don't want to hear another, well, we got to — you know, hit us informal. Now we're going to formal. It's too slow, Pete. Move it.