Freshly declassified documents reveal a disturbing nexus between Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon, exposing plans to funnel illicit cash into European nationalist movements.

The dark web of Jeffrey Epstein’s influence has ensnared Steve Bannon in a revelation exposing attempts to bankroll Europe’s far-right. New documents peel back the curtain on how American political operatives sought to weaponize Epstein’s illicit network to destabilize European democracy. The release confirms that the disgraced financier was not just a predator but a potential piggy bank for the alt-right’s transatlantic ambitions.

The Bannon-Epstein Connection

The latest tranche of files, released under a court order, details a flurry of communications between 2018 and 2019. At the time, Bannon, fresh from his ouster as Donald Trump’s chief strategist, was crisscrossing Europe on a mission to unite Eurosceptic parties into a "movement" capable of dismantling the European Union from within. The texts reveal that Bannon viewed Epstein not as a pariah, but as a crucial financial conduit.

In a message dated March 5, 2019, Bannon explicitly told Epstein he was "focused on raising money for Le Pen and Salvini so they can actually run full slates." This refers to Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally and Matteo Salvini of Italy’s League, both of whom were gearing up for the European Parliament elections. The revelation that Bannon sought to tap into Epstein’s mysterious fortune to fund these campaigns raises profound questions about the integrity of those elections and the source of the "dark money" fueling populist surges.

• The Rome Rendezvous: Messages show Bannon asking Epstein for use of his private jet to travel to Rome, a request Epstein tried to accommodate, texting, "My guys can pick you up."
• No Direct Contact: While the files implicate Bannon, there is currently no evidence that Salvini or Le Pen directly communicated with Epstein or accepted his money.
• The "Gladiator School": The timing coincides with Bannon’s failed attempt to establish a right-wing academy in an Italian monastery, a project that eventually collapsed under legal scrutiny.

A Web of Influence

The files also expose Epstein’s desperate attempts to remain relevant in high-stakes geopolitics even after his initial conviction. He positioned himself as a bridge between American influence and European power centers, bragging about his ability to open doors. For Bannon, Epstein represented a shortcut to the kind of liquidity needed to disrupt a continent. The transactional nature of their relationship—trading influence for legitimacy—highlights the amoral vacuum at the heart of this political crusade.

Politicians in Europe are already reacting with fury. In Italy, opposition leaders are demanding that Salvini clarify his party's financial firewalls. In France, calls for a parliamentary inquiry are growing. The idea that a sex trafficker’s money might have been earmarked to fund "family values" parties is an irony too grotesque to ignore. As the dust settles on these files, the question remains: how much of the populist wave was organic, and how much was engineered by men like Bannon using dirty money?