Documents Reveal Epstein and Bannon Tried to Undermine Pope Francis

Jeffrey Epstein, Steve Bannon

Recently-released conversations between Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump aide Steve Bannon reveal that they discussed ways to undermine Pope Francis and his call for the Church to become more open. 

Francis biographer Austin Ivereigh says the communications unveiled in the Epstein files are an “interesting new element” to the conflict between the Pope and conservative Catholic leaders. “There’s a clear concerted campaign among a number of traditionalist figures and institutions to bring down Francis in the name of some sort of ‘purification.’” Ivereigh says. “What obviously is clear, though, is that they had formed an alliance of sorts.” 

According to a Religion News Service article published in the National Catholic Reporter, the Epstein documents reveal that Bannon was aware that Epstein had a hand in a never-made documentary based on the 2019 book In the Closet of the Vatican, an exposé written by French journalist Frederic Martel. The book explores the supposed culture of secrecy and hypocrisy around homosexuality at the Vatican. At the time of the book’s publication, it caused outrage among conservative Catholics with its claims that 80% of Vatican clergy are gay. 

Bannon wrote that the unmade film “Will take down Francis.”

Though Martel claims to have never had contact with Epstein, he certainly met with Bannon. They had several meetings, and Bannon “loved” the book, Martel said.Bannon was “very enthusiastic” about adapting the book into a film.Martel recalled. 

The book’s French publisher controlled its copyright, preventing Martel  from accepting Bannon’s offer. But Bannon’s interest in the book was so notable that US Cardinal Raymond Burke cut ties with the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, a conservative Catholic organization, due to its growing connection with Bannon. “I am not at all of the mind that the book should be made into a film,” wrote Burke in a June 2019 letter. 

In other emails between Bannon and Epstein, they “lament” Pope Francis’s efforts to make the church more inclusive, a shift from his immediate predecessors’ “emphasis on enforcing doctrine.” 

Among Epstein’s communications, his disdain for Pope Francis, and the papacy in general, was well-noted. In emails to his brother when the Pope visited the United States in 2015, Epstein made lewd comments concerning the pope’s lodgings near the sexual predator’s New York residence. 

In an essay on AlterNet, gay journalist Michaelangelo Signorile reported that he recently had a phone conversation with Martel about the Epstein files revelations, and the author did not want to give Bannon permission to make a film from the book about the Vatican. Martel was confused by Bannon’s request because the author considered that he had written “probably the most pro-Francis” book.

Additional materials from the Epstein files show that he was also interested in Vatican finances.

–Lynnzee Dick, New Ways Ministry, March 6, 2026