DOJ Documents Expose Bannon-Epstein Discussions About Pope Francis
Newly released Department of Justice files have revealed startling communications between former Trump advisor Steve Bannon and convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting they discussed strategies to "take down" Pope Francis.
According to the documents, Bannon appears to have written to Epstein in June 2019 stating: "Will take down [Pope] Francis." The message continued with references to other political figures: "The Clintons, Xi, Francis, EU – come on brother."
Bannon's Criticism of the Pontiff
Bannon, who identifies as a Roman Catholic, has been vocally critical of Pope Francis for years. In a 2018 interview with The Spectator, he described the pontiff as "beneath contempt" and accused him of "siding with globalist elites."
The newly revealed exchange with Epstein appears to show Bannon attempting to advance his anti-Francis agenda. He asked the financier whether he had read "In the Closet of the Vatican," a controversial 2019 book by French journalist Frédéric Martel that claimed 80 percent of Vatican clergy were gay.
Bannon had previously expressed interest in adapting the book into a film, telling Epstein: "you are now exec producer of 'ITCOTV'." The seriousness of this proposal remains unclear.
Epstein's Involvement and Additional Communications
Epstein responded to Bannon's message with: "Chomsky asking when film," apparently referencing intellectual Noam Chomsky, with whom Epstein maintained a close relationship.
Additional documents show Epstein emailed himself on April 1, 2019, with the subject line "in the closet of the Vatican." He also sent Bannon an article titled "Pope Francis or Steve Bannon? Catholics must choose."
Bannon's brief reply was: "Easy choice."
Broader MAGA-Vatican Tensions
Bannon is not the only MAGA figure to have conflicts with Pope Francis. Former President Donald Trump, while paying tribute to the pontiff following his death in 2025, had historic disputes with him.
In 2016, ahead of Trump's first presidency, Francis criticized the then-candidate's vow to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S., stating: "a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian."
In January 2025, one day before Trump's second inauguration, Francis spoke out against the Republican president's plans for mass deportations, calling them "a disgrace" that would make "the poor wretches who have nothing pay the bill."
Vance's Relationship with the Pope
Vice President JD Vance, also a Roman Catholic, clashed with Francis over theological concepts. Vance promoted the idea of "ordo amoris," suggesting a hierarchy of love that prioritizes family, community, and country before the wider world.
Francis contradicted this notion, writing: "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups."
Despite these differences, Vance met with the pontiff during a trip to Rome on Easter Sunday 2025, sharing a homily with him. Pope Francis died the following day, on April 21, 2025.
The Independent has contacted representatives of Steve Bannon for comment regarding these newly revealed communications.
