PREVIEW

DOJ Files Show Bannon Sought Epstein’s Help to “Take Down” Pope Francis. Newly released Justice Department files show Steve Bannon discussed strategies with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein aimed at undermining Pope Francis. In 2019 messages, Bannon wrote he would “take down (Pope) Francis,” linking the pontiff to global political figures he opposed. Bannon viewed Francis as an obstacle to his nationalist “sovereigntist” movement, which gained traction in Europe during 2018 and 2019. The files suggest Epstein was assisting Bannon’s broader political efforts after he left the first Trump administration. Bannon referenced the 2019 book In the Closet of the Vatican by French journalist Frédéric Martel and explored turning it into a film. In one message, Bannon appeared to suggest Epstein serve as executive producer for a film adaptation of the book. The book examined secrecy and hypocrisy within the Vatican, including controversial claims about clergy and sexuality. The exchanges highlight Bannon’s sustained campaign against Francis, whose criticism of nationalism and advocacy for migrants clashed with Bannon’s political worldview.
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