Steve Bannon Admits to Courting Jeffrey Epstein for Documentary

Former Trump strategist says he was trying to get the convicted pedophile to open up on camera.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former strategist, has acknowledged that he exchanged chummy text messages with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. Bannon claims he was trying to get Epstein to participate in a documentary he was working on at the time, saying 'that's the only lens through which these private communications should be viewed.' The text exchanges, which were part of the latest U.S. Department of Justice release of documents surrounding investigations into Epstein, show Bannon giving the disgraced financier advice on how to handle continuing investigations into his past ahead of his eventual arrest and jailing.

Why it matters

Bannon's involvement with Epstein has come under scrutiny, with critics questioning whether he was truly working on a documentary or trying to help rehabilitate Epstein's reputation through media training. The revelations add to the ongoing debate around the powerful individuals who associated with Epstein and the nature of those relationships.

The details

According to Bannon, he was a 'filmmaker and TV host with decades of experience interviewing controversial figures' and was simply trying to secure 50 hours of interviews from the 'reclusive' Epstein for a documentary. Bannon says the long-gestating documentary about Epstein will be released later this year and will 'destroy the very myths he created.' However, the chummy text exchanges between Bannon and Epstein, in which Bannon provided advice on handling investigations, have raised questions about Bannon's true motives.

  • In 2019, Bannon exchanged text messages with Epstein.
  • Epstein died while in federal custody in 2019.
  • The text exchanges were part of the latest U.S. Department of Justice release of documents surrounding investigations into Epstein.

The players

Steve Bannon

Donald Trump's former strategist, who claims he was working on a documentary about Jeffrey Epstein.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender who died while in federal custody in 2019.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I am a filmmaker and TV host with decades of experience interviewing controversial figures. That's the only lens through which these private communications should be viewed, a documentary filmmaker working, over a period of time, to secure 50 hours of interviews from a reclusive subject.”

— Steve Bannon (New York Times)

What’s next

Bannon says the documentary about Epstein will be released later this year.

The takeaway

The revelations about Bannon's interactions with Epstein raise questions about the nature of their relationship and the motivations behind Bannon's efforts to document Epstein's life. This case highlights the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the powerful individuals who associated with the convicted sex offender.