‘Keeps getting wilder’: Uncovered Bannon-Epstein plot to ‘take down’ Pope rocks internet
Newly released messages between ex-Trump official Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein revealed new details of a supposed plot to “take down” the late Pope Francis, the details of which left onlookers stunned Saturday.
“This Epstein files drop keeps getting wilder,” wrote Abdul Kabir Khan, a blogger whose bio says they lead a Pakistani-based shipping logistics company, in a social media post on X Saturday. “History books are gonna need extra chapters.”
The messages in question, exchanged just weeks before Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell, show Bannon asking the convicted child sex offender if he had read the 2019 book “In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy.”
Epstein’s response suggested he had not read the book, which alleges that a majority of clergy serving at the Vatican are secretly gay, including some who have publicly made anti-gay remarks.
“Dude-- I thought u were global player,” Bannon responded, adding that someone named “Sean” would get Epstein a copy of the book.
It was then that Bannon awarded Epstein with the title of “exec producer” for “ITCOTV” – an acronym for the book – suggesting plans to turn the book into a film, with Epstein leading its production as executive producer.
“Bannon working with Epstein vs [Pope Francis] is basically good vs evil,” noted ex-CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, responding to a CNN report Saturday about the newly unearthed messages.
“Something rotten in Bannon’s soul,” wrote Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who’s had his own share of controversy after being named in the Justice Department’s most recent release of Epstein files.
Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of Pope Francis, told CNN in its report Saturday that Bannon was likely hoping to damage the Pope's reputation using the aforementioned book. That apparent plot, however, was a miscalculated effort, he said.
"I think he badly misjudged the nature of the book – and Pope Francis," Ivereigh told CNN.
The recently released Epstein files have revealed that Bannon and Epstein had a far deeper and more personal relationship than what was previously known. Both frequently criticized President Donald Trump in private messages, and Bannon reportedly worked hard to rehabilitate Epstein’s public image in the wake of his 2008 conviction on prostitution involving a minor.Bannon working with epstein vs IL PAPA is basically good vs evil. https://t.co/jmK8npkkZC
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) February 14, 2026