Bannon Sought to Take Down Pope Francis
Justice Department files show Steve Bannon told Jeffrey Epstein in June 2019 he would 'take down' Pope Francis and discussed adapting a Vatican-exposing book into a film.
Overview
Justice Department files show Steve Bannon told Jeffrey Epstein in June 2019, "Will take down (Pope) Francis."
The Justice Department files include hundreds of emails and text messages that show Bannon and Epstein shared political plans and media projects across 2018 and 2019.
Conservative figures including Laura Loomer and Erick Erickson publicly called on Bannon to explain his ties to Epstein.
The files show an April 1, 2019 email where Epstein wrote "in the closet of the vatican" and a June 2019 Bannon text suggesting Epstein could executive-produce a film based on the book.
The files have prompted questions in Europe about ties between Bannon and far-right networks and relate to a Feb. 11 hearing in Italy over a monastery lease involving a Bannon associate.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a scandal by foregrounding an inflammatory Bannon quote and his association with Jeffrey Epstein. They use charged identifiers ("convicted sex offender") and sensational headlines to prioritize wrongdoing, highlight the "take down" line, and omit balancing context or responses from Bannon and Vatican sources, reinforcing a conspiratorial narrative.
Sources (5)
FAQ
In a June 2019 message, Bannon wrote: 'Will take down (Pope) Francis,' linking him with the Clintons, Xi, and the EU as ideological opponents.
They discussed adapting 'In the Closet of the Vatican' by Frédéric Martel, with Bannon suggesting Epstein as executive producer for 'ITCOTV'.
Bannon viewed Francis as a key ideological opponent to his nationalist-populist agenda, accusing him of siding with globalist elites.
Conservative figures like Laura Loomer and Erick Erickson called on Bannon to explain his Epstein ties; in Europe, questions arose about his far-right networks; Cardinal Burke opposed a related film adaptation.
The files, including 2018-2019 emails and texts between Bannon and Epstein, were released last month by the DOJ as part of a broader document dump.
History
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