Steve Bannon advised Jeffrey Epstein for years on how to rehab his reputation, texts show

Hundreds of texts over almost a year show Maga influencer Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein workshopping legal and media strategies to protect Epstein from the legal and publicity quagmire that enveloped him in the last year of his life.

The texts, released by the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, show that as early as June 2018, the pair were devising responses to the gathering storm of public outrage about Epstein’s criminal history, his favorable treatment by the justice system, and his friendships with powerful figures in business, politics, and academia.

Bannon conspiratorially described the renewed scrutiny of Epstein as a “sophisticated op”, and over time he counseled Epstein in his adversarial responses to media outlets, the justice system, and his victims.

All the while, both men were also strategizing how best to promote Bannon’s rightwing populist agenda, and the political fortunes of its standard-bearer, Donald Trump.

In all of Epstein’s messages, the identity of his correspondent is redacted. But Bannon’s identity in the threads cited in this reporting is clear from contextual clues including his documented activities at the time, details of his business and media pursuits, and other disclosures. In one document, the sender’s phone number is not redacted – and it is the same number linked to Bannon in a legal case against Trump advisor Roger Stone.

When Elon Musk said earlier this year that “Bannon is in the Epstein files”, Bannon told the Independent he wanted a special investigator to look into “all” the Epstein documents.

The men were discussing Epstein’s problems even before he came to broader public awareness as a notorious sex criminal with odd connections to the Trump administration.

Bannon left the Trump White House in late summer 2017, but enjoyed a vibrant career as a Maga influencer.

On 22 June 2018, days after Epstein had been the focus of an anti-Trump protest at a Trump speech, the men began discussing the scandal that was beginning to loom over Epstein.

At first they treated it as a publicity problem, with Bannon seeing it as an orchestrated campaign.

Bannon asked Epstein, “Who is running this op on u something serious going on”.

Epstein replied, “First a protest at Clinton and then at trump. Lots of people very angry at our friendship”.

Bannon responded, “It’s an op dude-- I do this for a living -- the pieces that are dropping are deeply researched”, adding “This is sophisticated op”.

In November, blockbuster coverage from the Miami Herald began highlighting Epstein’s misdeeds, connections, and the apparent leniency shown to him at center stage.

In December he was not only feeling the heat, but musing about his capacity to damage the Trump administration.

On 18 December, an unknown correspondent tried to reassure Epstein, writing, “It will all blow over! They’re really just trying to take down Trump and doing whatever they can to do that...!”

Epstein responded, “yes thx. its wild. because i am the one able to take him down”

In early February 2019, Bannon opened an exchange on the developing story by linking to an item at controversial news site Zero Hedge that quoted Republican then Senator Ben Sasse on the matter.

Epstein responded, “Yes/ wild” and linked to a Fox News item covering the same ground.

He then asked for Bannon’s advice on how to respond: “Continue to ignore? Ann Coulter on hannity/. Attack? Op ed , ? Not my skill set”, adding “What about the attunes penning something that suggests indignation and lays out some of the facts”.

“That drives it a week,” Bannon responded, causing Epstein to seek clarification: “sasse calling me a child rapist , is nuts!!! Sorry do. You mean ignore. , or responding makes it worse. ?” Bannon replied “I think makes it way worse.”

Epstein responded, “K, what about Ken talking directly to sasse”.

Bannon replied, “Won’t help but yes”.

While the reference to Ken is not specific in this instance, Epstein and Bannon’s other exchanges frequently reference Epstein’s relationship with Ken Starr, the special counsel who pursued Bill Clinton over the Lewinsky affair, who later defended Epstein in his first prosecution over sex offenses in 2007, and Donald Trump in his 2020 impeachment trial. Starr died in 2022.

Later that month, in an apparent continuation of the same conversation, a correspondent, apparently Bannon (this document has fewer contextual cues than others referred to in this reporting) counseled: “If you do an interview it can’t be like ‘Johnnie does a utube’-- has to be amazingly professional and perfectly cut.”

Epstein’s response acknowledges the depths to which his public image had sunk: “woody said he would help edit. not sure how to stage, what points to make. but better than trying to do an interview that i have no experience doing. goal to himanize the monster. anything written carries iittle weight.”

Bannon agreed, and Epstein asked a follow-up question that appealed to Bannon’s extensive film-making experience: “should it be in an interview format. ? interviewed by ? or just me? speaking to the camera. humor ? apology? how did i get rich. ? topics?”

There was no direct text response, but elsewhere in their exchanges there is evidence the two frequently spoke on the phone.

The next day, Epstein attacked his victims, writing, “One of the most important facts for the public seems to be the girls used the agreement to get money and only after then tried to have it voided”.

By April, the two were apparently planning a film production that would “redeem” Epstein’s reputation.

On 30 April, Epstein wrote, “the christians i met with feel , the media portraying me as beyond redemption is deeply troubling and offensive”

Bannon replied with strategic remarks, “Yes yes yes of course -- but we must counter ‘rapist who traffics in female children to be raped by worlds most powerful , richest men’--- that can’t be redeemed - - that why we let them blow up the argument while showing the 12 you redeemed”.

He added, “Can’t redeem unredeemable -- you are a lot of things-which we will show-- but you are NOT that.”

Bannon then asked “Did u get the film we shot ??”

Epstein responded, “Just landed “.

They then appear to discuss financing the film in a way that obscures Epstein’s involvement.

Bannon then asked, “Are you far enough along on your assignment -- could we film this weekend ??”

Epstein then asked “how many people would you bring,

Bannon responded, “Limited crew -- 5 max prob 3”

Further on, Epstein asked “Did your guys prefer beard or no beard”, and Bannon responded “Slight growth”.

In 2024 media reports indicated that Bannon recorded some 15 hours of Epstein for a planned documentary as a way of assisting him with his PR problems.

In May 2019, Bannon was encouraging Epstein as he adopted a professionally devised media strategy to deal with increased scrutiny after the Miami Herald published an explosive series into his plea deal with the federal government years earlier, which kicked off a steady drumbeat of news coverage about the billionaire. He texted Epstein, “Did u hire the crisis comms guy so we can drive the narrative off that great times piece”.

Epstein responded, “Hes here with me now. He thinks stick to legal legal legal . A deal is a deal etc. and then a few months from now.”

He again acknowledged his image problem, “Decide how to deal with the pervert hermit image and fill the box with another narrative. “

Bannon responded, “Agree:: how are we ‘sticking to the legal legal legal “

Epstein responded, “Articles by legal people . Professors. Lawyers etc. now I’m focused.”

Bannon responded with relief, “U had me worried ---focus good.”

On 28 May, the pair expressed a shared irritation at Epstein’s inclusion in Fire and Fury, the first of a string of five books by author Michael Wolff which chronicle Trump’s career in national politics.

Epstein wrote, “I have now seen some of Wolffs book. Mentions me and underage prostitutes. You as the man behind and in front of the curtain. Lots of Steve quotes. Lots.”

Bannon replied, “Ugh -- anything awful??? Wish he hadn’t done that-- why are u mentioned @ all?”

Epstein responded, “Palm beach house purchase. . don’t reach out to Michael”, and then offered details on Wolff’s treatment of Epstein.

Bannon responded “Ugh.”

Bannon also offered an “ugh” in response to a link Epstein sent separately to a Raw Story article that re-reported details of the real estate deal that Wolff claimed ended Trump’s and Epstein’s friendship.

Bannon frequently cheered Epstein on as the furor around the case grew, and in one instance joined in on a late spasm of false optimism.

On 25 June, just weeks before Epstein was spectacularly re-arrested, he texted Bannon a headline, “Jeffrey Epstein plea deal must stand, prosecutors tell sex abuse victims”.

Bannon responded, “Dude!!!!”, adding “Is this real Tell me this is real”, later adding “Is that out anywhere yet”.

Epstein replied “Miami herald. But more and better july 9.”

The Miami Herald had published a story under that headline the same day.

Bannon responded “Epic epic epic.”

Epstein was arrested on 7 July.

In May, in a discussion which was otherwise about US and international politics, Epstein objected to a detail in a New York Post story about his Virgin Island compound, writing “Underwater office ? How nuts are these people”

On 3 June, Trump and his wife Melania had been escorted by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who was then prince, to a war memorial during a state visit to the UK.

The same day, Epstein texted Bannon: “prince andrew and trump today. t000 funny”, adding “recall prince andrews accuser came out of mara lago”.

Bannon responded, “Can’t believe nobody is making u the connective tissue”.

This thread included an unredacted number that matches numbers associated with Bannon in 2019 court filings.

With Bannon and others, Epstein railed against the progress of the #MeToo movement throughout 2018 and 2019.

As his own problems closed in, Epstein offered advice to Bannon on how to undermine accusations brought against Brett Kavanaugh, then a supreme court candidate, by Christine Blasey Ford during his confirmation hearings.

On 30 September 2018, Epstein told Bannon that Republicans should “make sure they ask ford about her medications , what type and for how long. . my guess is that katz won’t let her answer”.

Bannon replied, “Roger”, and Epstein responded with a link to a website article claiming to detail memory loss caused by various medications.

Bannon asked “Is this a hint”, and Epstein replied “duh” and sent another link, this time to a scholarly article, adding “False memories in social anxiety disorder”.

He continued, “she couldn’t recall if the lie detector was given the same day as her mothers funeral or the next day.? MEDS.”