Epstein affair Trump confidant Bannon maintained contact with Jeffrey Epstein
Trump under pressure: there could soon be a vote on the release of the Epstein files. An exchange between Epstein and former MAGA strategist Steve Bannon has now been made public.
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- The pressure on US President Donald Trump in the Epstein affair is growing.
- Most recently, emails were published in which Epstein implicates Trump as an accomplice.
- It has now emerged that Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon was still in contact with Epstein in 2018.
- Bannon is considered the architect of the MAGA movement.
- Next week, the House of Representatives could vote on whether the Department of Justice should be obliged to publish the Epstein files.
The Epstein affair continues to come to a head. The trigger is the end of the shutdown, of all things. This has no direct connection to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had relationships with numerous key figures in US politics and business, including US President Donald Trump at times.
After the end of the shutdown, however, the swearing-in of Democratic MP Adelita Grijalva in the US House of Representatives took place two months late. And Grijalva promptly put her name to a joint petition by Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie.
This means that the 218 signatures required to force a vote on a law that would force the Department of Justice to publish all documents in the Epstein case - the so-called Epstein files - have been reached. This could happen as early as next week.
Epstein as media coach for the MAGA architect
At the same time, the oversight committee of the House of Representatives has revealed another connection between Epstein and a Trump confidant: Steve Bannon. According to the report, Bannon, who is one of the architects of the MAGA movement, which is largely responsible for Trump's two-time rise to the most powerful office in the world, was in contact with Epstein via text messages in August 2018.
In August of the previous year, Bannon had been dismissed by Trump as his adviser. It is not known whether the exchange over six days is just an excerpt from a longer correspondence.
The released text messages document an exchange between Bannon and Epstein from August 17 to 23, 2018, during which the political strategist apparently received coaching from Epstein for upcoming media appearances.
Epstein complained to Bannon
Epstein congratulated Bannon on a successful appearance on the liberal TV network MSNBC. At one point, he jokes that he thought he had accidentally switched on figure skating because Bannon looked so dapper. When he mentions that this is his "come-hither" look, Epstein jokes again: "Better than your come-Hitler look".
In the exchange, Epstein also expresses his frustration with former companions who have turned their backs on him. In particular, he mentions Steven Hoffenberg, a convicted con artist who was long considered Epstein's mentor.
"There's this guy, totally crazy, who's out of prison after 20 years and sends me letters," Epstein tells Bannon indignantly. "Wants a billion dollars. Not a real threat, just another nuisance."
Hoffenberg, who died in unexplained circumstances in 2022, claimed until the end of his life that Epstein was the "real architect" behind the fraud for which he served time.
Meeting under security precautions
The appointment for a personal meeting between Epstein and Bannon is also documented in the published correspondence. It is striking how worried Bannon is about being seen with the sex offender. "Is there any other access than the front door?" he asks. "They're watching you at all hours of the day right now."
"There's a back entrance," Epstein reassures his interlocutor. This is "super secure". "Someone can meet you and escort you in." Bannon was satisfied with that.
For Donald Trump, the publication of the communication between Epstein and one of his former most important strategists comes at the worst possible time. Critical voices are growing within his party with regard to the president's handling of the Epstein affair.
Most recently, the president was incriminated by emails published by Democrats in the oversight committee, according to which Epstein is said to have said that Trump "of course knew about the girls". He had also "spent hours" with one of the girls.
Pressure on Trump is growing
Epstein and Trump appeared in public together between 1997 and 2000 in particular, but the relationship broke down in 2004. In 2007, Trump had Epstein thrown out of his private club Mar-a-Lago.
According to contemporary reports, Epstein is said to have molested the daughter of a club member; in July 2025, Trump said that he was kicked out after Epstein tried to poach female employees from the club.
During his election campaign, Trump had promised to make the Epstein files public and suggested that the Democrats in particular would suffer from such a move. In addition to Trump himself, Bill Clinton's relationship with Epstein is also documented. Both took part in a big birthday present for the former financial mogul - with personal congratulations.
Most recently, Trump has increased the pressure on Republican critics of his handling of the Epstein files. Alongside initiator Thomas Massie, politicians Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace signed the petition. Trump then sought talks with Boebert and Mace. Other Republicans have signaled that they will vote in favor of releasing the files if a vote is held.
