Steve Bannon, the prominent MAGA media figure who served as White House chief strategist at the start of President Donald Trump’s first term, is facing renewed scrutiny after text messages revealed he suggested invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office in late 2018 — in a conversation with Jeffrey Epstein.
The texts, which have resurfaced following recent document releases by the Department of Justice, show Bannon communicating with Epstein, the disgraced financier who was later arrested in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges.
On the very day Epstein was arrested, DOJ documents indicate he was texting with Bannon about a planned documentary that Bannon intended to make portraying Epstein in a favorable light. Months earlier, Bannon had advised Epstein on how to rehabilitate his public image.
“First we need to push back on the lies ; then crush the pedo/trafficking narrative ; then rebuild your image as a philanthropist,” Bannon wrote in a message cited in the released documents.
Now, additional text messages from December 31, 2018, have sparked fresh controversy. In one exchange, Epstein wrote, “Hell of. Year. Next will be biblicl.” Bannon responded, “We either own 2019 or it will surely own us.”
As the conversation continued, Epstein referenced speaking with Democrats, writing, “Spoke to my dems. This weekend. Boy are emotions running high.”
Bannon then wrote: “Going to blow him up right our of the box– WH has zero plan to punch back– Fort Apache with no cavalry enroute.”
Epstein replied, “And no soldiers in the fort. He really is borderline. Not sure what he may do.”
Bannon’s response: “I think it’s beyond borderline — 25 amendment.”
The 25th Amendment provides a constitutional mechanism for removing a president deemed unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office.
The revelations stand in contrast to Bannon’s public posture as a staunch Trump ally. In recent months, Bannon has even suggested that Trump could seek a third term in 2028.
“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon told The Economist last fall. “At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
The resurfaced messages have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, including from some conservatives.
Former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime Bannon ally, publicly addressed the issue Monday in response to comments from former national security adviser Mike Flynn. Flynn had said that if both Bannon and Epstein were involved in matters under discussion, Bannon should be questioned.
“I agree completely,” Greene wrote. “Steve Bannon went to jail for Trump (I was there), but back on 1-1-19 (after Dems took the House) he was texting with Epstein about 25th amendment.”
She added, “Also, there is no excuse for having such a friendly relationship with Epstein, post conviction, 2018-19. None.”
The text exchanges and Bannon’s association with Epstein during that period have reignited debate over his role and judgment at a pivotal time in Trump’s presidency. While Bannon has positioned himself as one of Trump’s most vocal defenders in recent years, the newly highlighted messages offer a stark reminder of tensions and conversations that unfolded behind the scenes in 2018.
[READ MORE: Massie Criticizes Bondi’s Epstein Testimony, Says Garland ‘Performed Better’]
