(José Niño, Headline USA) Newly released documents show Steve Bannon was receiving political advice, cryptocurrency funding proposals, and introductions to world leaders from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The correspondence between the two men from 2018 to 2019, released by the House Oversight Committee and reviewed by Byline Times, exposes a hidden partnership in which Epstein provided strategic planning, potential cryptocurrency financing, and access to world leaders while Bannon offered something the disgraced financier found irresistible—the creation of a movement that undermined the #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment in the workplace.
“Populist/Nationalist first. Conservative Christians (catholic/evangelical) next. Reverse Alabama. This coalition staves off ‘Times Up’ for next decade plus,” Bannon wrote to Epstein in February 2018. “Times Up” is a reference to a campaign started in 2018 by women in the entertainment sector to fight sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace.
The emails show Bannon receiving extensive support from Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender accused of operating an international sex trafficking ring involving underage girls. At least 45 pieces of correspondence document their collaboration across two years, according to the investigation by journalist Nafeez Ahmed at the Byline Times.
The partnership began taking shape in early 2018. On March 11 of that year, Sean Bannon, an aide and nephew to Steve, sent Epstein a brief message confirming a meeting. “Roger that. Thanks for having us today,” he wrote. Epstein replied the same evening with characteristic confidence. “Spoke to [the] country leader we discussed… I leave Wednesday, back Friday. We should lay out a strategy plan when I’m back.”
Days earlier, the two men had already begun discussing how to build an alternative political funding system. Epstein sent Bannon a set of questions about cryptocurrency and campaign finance regulations. “coin issues: receive coins, distribute coins, pay in coins, coin cooperative, prohibitions foreign donor? i need to understand flow of funds… donor to campaign c’s. does it have to go to campaign first?” he asked.
Bannon replied without hesitation. “On it.”
Minutes later, Epstein pressed further with a suggestion. “should it have a christian component? tithe? if you form a church you may be able to tell mueller you have a confession privelege. :)” The reference was to the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election led by Robert Mueller.
The correspondence reveals Epstein functioning as what the documents describe as an intimate political fixer. He arranged access to world leaders for Bannon, proposed opaque cryptocurrency funding structures, and even offered guidance from the President of the UN General Assembly for what he called Bannon’s EU project.
Ahmed noted that in one email before a March 2018 dinner, Epstein wrote that he would invite the editor in chief of the Wall Street Journal, claimed the President of the United Nations General Assembly would guide the project, announced foreknowledge of a government collapse, and flagged the visit of a Gulf actor. “yes I saw it. 1. I will invite Gerry Baker to our dinner tonight. 2. Miro Lajcak, president of UN, will guide the EU project if you like him. his govt will fall this week — as planned. :)”
By mid 2019, Epstein sent himself a document with the subject line “list for bannon steve” containing a continuous stream of elite names including politicians, oligarchs, Nobel calibre scientists, tech billionaires, editors, bankers, diplomats, former prime ministers, celebrities, and royalty.
Even as public scrutiny of Epstein accelerated through civil suits and journalistic investigations, Bannon offered reassurance. “there is a crazed jihad against u – ive never seen anything like it – and I’ve seen a lot,” he wrote.
Bannon has since repositioned himself as someone sounding the alarm about what he calls a liberal Epstein cover up. Earlier this year he told a crowd at a Turning Point conference that Epstein was operating as part of a deep state operation against Trump. “Epstein is a key that picks the lock on so many things,” he said. “Not just individuals, but also institutions.”
Bannon was contacted for comment but did not respond.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
