Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon with a dark red background

Molly Butler / Media Matters

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Suddenly, Steve Bannon isn’t interested in transparency around Epstein anymore

Steve Bannon was loud about Epstein disclosure — until emails revealed his own very cozy relationship

Written by John Knefel & Sophie Lawton

Published

When calls were renewed for the Trump administration to release the full trove of Epstein files earlier this year, War Room host Steve Bannon was among the voices pushing for their release. But since the newest batch of Epstein documents released by the House Oversight Committee has exposed his close and very friendly dealings with the convicted sex offender, Bannon has chosen to stay quiet on the topic.

Media Matters reviewed episodes of Bannon’s War Room aired between November 12 and the morning of November 20 and found only a handful of brief Epstein mentions by guests, as well as one clip from a cold open. We found no references to the release of the new documents or the impending release of the full files. 

On his show and in event appearances, Bannon previously called for the Department of Justice to release any files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claiming the Trump administration is supposed to be “the most transparent administration ever.” He has also hosted multiple guests on his show, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who have been vocal in their efforts to gain full disclosure from the administration. 

Earlier this year, public figures across the political spectrum pushed for Bannon to release hours of interview footage previously filmed with Epstein during the making of an unreleased documentary on the sex offender. Bannon publicly agreed to release this footage in 2026. The batch of documents made public by the committee on November 12 suggested that Bannon’s documentary would help Epstein rehabilitate his image from a “billionaire pedophile friend of Trump.”

Bannon spent months calling for transparency around the Epstein case. Now, as some of that information becomes publicly available, Bannon has gone quiet.  

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  • Bannon appears throughout the newly released documents

  • Several messages included in the recent release of documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate suggest that he and Bannon had a close personal relationship. Epstein appears to have helped Bannon book a flight out of Heathrow airport, for example, chartered a flight for Bannon from Scotland, and while discussing an upcoming trip Bannon was planning, told him, “I'll make sure you're well looked after.” According to analysis from New York Magazine, Epstein even attempted to set Bannon up on a date with a woman in Paris.

    Epstein offered Bannon suggestions on how to break into European conservative circles and coached him on public appearances.

    • Bannon repeatedly emailed Epstein articles about himself and interviews he gave about the Trump administration. After Bannon emailed a Daily Beast article about himself, Epstein replied, “Daily beast well done.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25, 11/12/25, 11/12/25, 11/12/25; Daily Beast, 7/19/18]
    • Epstein sometimes let Bannon know when he was watching his live television interviews. After an interview between Bannon and Ari Melber on MSNBC, Epstein messaged, “You looked so clean cut next to him i thought i turned on the figure skating channel by accident,” and offered Bannon notes for next time: “Your eye is the best , so important for you to watch the play reel. Over the shoulder for him , 3/4 for you. ?? lighting. . hot for you . /. chairs . ? too restrictive for you.” [The Guardian, 11/14/25]
    • In a long message chain with Epstein, an anonymous second person who appears to be Bannon asked Epstein for suggestions on what to say at an “economist event.” Epstein responded with extensive talking points on the value of the dollar, international trade, and taxation. “Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant,” his correspondent praised. The recipient of Epstein’s messages was identified as Bannon using contextual messages and references in the chain. [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25, 11/12/25, 11/12/25, 11/12/25]
    • Messages between the two men show Epstein provided extensive advice on Bannon’s work reviving the right-wing in Europe. Epstein promised to introduce Bannon to political leaders and suggested Bannon stay in Europe for longer periods of time: “If you are going to play here, you’ll have to spend time; Europe by remote doesn’t work.” [The Telegraph, 11/17/25]

    Epstein offered counsel on issues related to the Trump administration.

    • During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Epstein suggested to Bannon that Christine Blasey Ford could be undermined by accusations of taking medication that impacted her memory. [The New Republic, 11/14/25]
    • Epstein weighed in on Cabinet officials in emails with Bannon, writing, “getting rid of powell much more important than syria /mattis. . I guess pompeo , only one left,” and, “mnuchin is ok.” [ABC News, 11/14/25; House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25]
    • Epstein emailed Bannon suggestions for the administration’s crypto policies. He wrote to Bannon, “Will treasury respond to you re: crypto or do we need another way in for advice,” and requested the Treasury Department create a “voluntary disclosure program and fuck all the bad guys.” [Decrypt.co, 11/14/25; House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25]
    • Epstein also commented on Trump’s relationships with administration officials. Epstein messaged Bannon, “Djt. Now really down on pence,” and, “And yes he did ask Kelly to get rid of jared , and then jared to get rid of Kelly. Par for the course.” [Byline Times, 11/17/25]

    In exchange, Bannon advised Epstein on how to respond to protests over his ties to the Trump administration and rehabilitating his public image.

    • In August 2018, Bannon emailed Epstein: “their is a crazed jihad against u--ive never seen anything like it--and I've seen a lot,” and, “somebody big has u in the gunsights.” In other messages Bannon called the scandal a “sophisticated op.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25; The Guardian, 11/15/25]
    • In early 2019, Epstein sent Bannon a Fox link on the investigation into Epstein’s plea bargain and asked, “Continue to ignore? Ann Coulter on hannity/. Attack? Op ed , ? Not my skill set.” Bannon responded, “That drives it a week,” and, “I think makes it way worse.” [The Guardian, 11/15/25]
    • The messages also include conversations about Bannon’s work on an Epstein documentary that he claimed would be “the real story.” [CBS News, 11/14/25]
    • In an email exchange with the subject “guess who,” Epstein sent Bannon a short paragraph about Hitler’s time in a shelter “run by a philanthropic society whose principal support was the Epstein family,” and seemingly joked, “Not only billionaire pedophile friend of trump but helped hitler just what I need.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25; Vienna Unwrapped, accessed 11/20/25]

    The released files also revealed a fraught relationship between Bannon and Trump.

    • In an email to Epstein from Michael Wolff, Wolff claimed Bannon believed “trump has lost his stuff, and as well, to boot, is an idiot.” In 2017, Wolff emailed Epstein and claimed that after speaking with Bannon, “I'd pretty much say that nearly 100% of the non-family senior staff of the first six months now believe that Trump can't function in this job.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25, 11/12/25]
    • In a 2017 exchange between Epstein and former Trump Hotels CEO Nicholas Ribis, Epstein asked, “does he [Trump] turn on bannon soon as bannon is getting too much attention and power?” Ribis responded, “U r so right Bannon will be gone by Sept - too out front taking glow off DJT.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25; New York Post, 5/31/2000]
    • When Epstein proposed introducing United Arab Emirates businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to Bannon in 2018, Sulayem replied, “Trump doesn’t like him.” [The Guardian, 11/16/25]
    • In 2018 Bannon emailed Epstein a link to a Daily Beast article titled “How Close Is Donald Trump to a Psychiatric Breakdown?” Epstein replied, “sums it up well. , needs to add melania. pressure, bibi indictment. jared money grubbing. recipe for tragedy.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25]
    • On May 29, 2018, Epstein appears to have sent Bannon a Newsweek article about Wolff’s book that claimed Bannon had referred to Trump as a “scumbag.” The next day Epstein messaged, “I guess you will have to figure out how to make the phrase ‘ he's a scumbag’ into words of support for policy. UGH.” His correspondent, who messages suggest was Bannon, answered, “They are ALL scumbags.” [House Oversight Committee, 11/12/25, 11/12/25, 11/12/25; Newsweek, 5/29/19]

  • Bannon previously called for disclosure and the release of Epstein material

    • In 2023, Bannon promised in a speech that a second Trump administration would “take the file on Jeffrey Epstein and see who murdered him under Bill Barr, and every foreign intelligence apparatus that worked with him,” assuring his audience, “It’s all coming out.” Speaking more generally, Bannon told the Turning Point USA audience that Trump would “declassify everything,” and added: “We’re going to go over to the CIA. We’re going to release everything. We’re going to declassify it all.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/22/23]
    • This July, Bannon asked why “has DOJ not just done one basic thing and gone to the courts and say we want to unseal all the records associated with Epstein so the American people can see it, and then release those?” He added: “This is supposed to be about the most transparent administration ever.” Bannon’s guest was Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, which sued the Department of Justice for access to Epstein-related records through the Freedom of Information Act. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/7/25; Law and Crime, 4/11/25]
    • The same month, Bannon appeared at a multi-day Turning Point USA event during which he publicly criticized Jack Posobiec, a frequent War Room guest, calling him a “sap” for his role in the botched Epstein binder rollout in February. Bannon said the public needed a chance to analyze the material directly, arguing that all the Epstein “information has to come out and the people have to weigh and measure it itself.” During the event, audience members demanded additional disclosure of the material, with one saying: “What is more deep state than covering up for pedophiles?” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/11/25, 7/11/25, 7/11/25; Media Matters, 11/13/25; CBS News, 2/27/25]
    • At the TPUSA event, Bannon also pledged to release in 2026 interview footage of Epstein he’d previously shot for a documentary — though journalist Michael Wolff, who appears throughout the released Epstein emails, reported that Bannon was in fact providing Epstein with media coaching (an allegation Bannon denies). Bannon also underscored the centrality of the Epstein case in securing MAGA victories against the so-called deep state, arguing, “We need to get to the bottom of Epstein because Epstein is the key that picks the lock.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/12/25, 7/12/25; The New York Times, 9/12/21; The Wall Street Journal, 11/14/25]
    • Bannon argued later that month that the White House should appoint a special counsel to look into Epstein materials, along with other issues, “so you can have somebody quickly review the documents and start to get them out,” echoing a demand he’d made earlier in July. His guest, former CIA officer Sam Faddis, said that “unless we do the right thing and come clean and show these people everything that there is, the first thing that will happen will be enthusiasm and turnout in the midterms will go through the floor.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/22/25; The Independent, 7/11/25]

  • Bannon previously hosted guests who pushed for Epstein disclosure and accountability

    • In April, Bannon’s guest Rogan O’Handley said, “Everyone on the MAGA side, we want deep state arrests. Give us something. Give us one. You don’t have to arrest the entire Epstein client list tomorrow, but start somewhere.” O’Handley, who goes by the moniker DC Draino, was one of the right-wing influencers to receive a binder with already-public information about Epstein from Attorney General Pam Bondi in what Bannon described as “the fiasco.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 4/22/25; The New Republic, 4/28/25] 
    • In a July interview on War Room, Marjorie Taylor Greene implicated Epstein’s wider network, arguing: “He [Epstein] was surrounded by rich, powerful people, foreign leaders, and American leaders,” adding, “And when you hang out with somebody, you know what they do.” Greene said, “The Department of Justice and the FBI needs to provide more answers because Jeffrey Epstein is the most well-known pedophile and sex trafficker in modern day human history.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/9/25]
    • On the same episode, Tom Fitton discussed his organization’s lawsuit to obtain Epstein files through the Freedom of Information Act, arguing: “If I were President Trump or Pam Bondi or Kash Patel or someone in a position to try to be more transparent on this issue is that I would take advantage of this FOIA law and FOIA lawsuit.” Bannon praised his guest, telling him: “Fitton, you're the pro, you're the tip of the spear here, but my point is Epstein's part of the war against the deep state. You have to take it to its logical conclusion.” Fitton had previously discussed the lawsuit on War Room two days prior as well. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 7/9/25]