![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/5e982a4b001c656cea969e1fb408b6db.jpeg\")
An Alternative for Germany election poster [More Education, Less Ideology!] in Berlin (Photo: EUobserver\/Matthew tempest)<\/p>\nThe Epstein files show not only how he abused women and girls while mixing with powerful people, but also how he tried to influence politics in Europe.<\/p>\n
Dozens of documents released by the US department of justice show how US president Donald Trump\u2019s former advisor Steve Bannon sought to secure Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s support and funding to strengthen far-right parties in Europe.<\/p>\n
According to the published materials, Epstein and Bannon regularly exchanged views on political developments \u2013 at times seriously, at others using lewd humour. <\/p>\n
They wrote to each other frequently throughout 2018 and 2019, up until Epstein\u2019s death. In one message, Epstein jokes that he is the \u201chighest-paid guide in history\u201d for Bannon.<\/p>\n
When Bannon was traveling, Epstein often offered him assistance. In March 2018, for example, Bannon was in Paris; Epstein wanted to invite him over and even sent him the door code. Ultimately, however, Bannon opted for a hotel due to time constraints. They met only for coffee.<\/p>\n
Influence and EU elections<\/b><\/p>\n
Bannon wrote to Epstein in one of their conversations that, ahead of the European Parliament elections, he was focusing on raising money for Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini\u2014two populist politicians in France and Italy, respectively.<\/p>\n
The messages originated primarily from 2018 and 2019, following Trump\u2019s dismissal of Bannon as his advisor. <\/p>\n
The documents detail Bannon\u2019s travels across Europe as he attempted to create a movement in the European Parliament aimed at uniting far-right and eurosceptic parties from multiple states.<\/p>\n
According to the files, Bannon boasted to Epstein about the significant influence he already wielded over the \u201cnew\u201d right in Europe. <\/p>\n
He mentioned advising Marine Le Pen\u2019s National Rally , Matteo Salvini\u2019s Italian League, the Swiss, Hungary\u2019s prime minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n, and British populist politician Nigel Farrage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can go from 92! seats to 200 [sic],\u201d Bannon exulted before the EU elections in 2019. It would be possible to \u201ckill any crypto rules or anything we want,\u201d he wrote further.<\/p>\n
In the case of Germany, the files revealed exchanges of messages between Epstein and Bannon in which they praised the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). <\/p>\n
They expressed themselves derisively regarding German politics and former chancellor Angela Merkel; in the case of the Merkel, they disparaged her with a photograph intended to discredit her.<\/p>\n
An Alternative for Germany election poster [More Education, Less Ideology!] in Berlin (Photo: EUobserver\/Matthew tempest)<\/p>\n
\u2018Merkel and Macron next<\/b>\u2018<\/p>\n
Several German-language media outlets drew attention to a conversation<\/a> between the two men from 24 May 2019. <\/p>\n At that time, British prime minister Theresa May announced that she would step down as leader of the Conservative Party and subsequently from the post of British prime minister. <\/p>\n \u201cThera May resigns. Good job [sic],\u201d Epstein wrote to Bannon. <\/p>\n Although Bannon did not cause May\u2019s resignation, her departure marked the end of a prominent representative of the political establishment, which in Bannon\u2019s eyes signified success.<\/p>\n On the day May announced her resignation from the leadership of the British government, Bannon was brimming with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n \u201cMay down, Merkel, and Macron on Monday,\u201d Bannon responded. He was likely referring to the European Parliament elections, which took place from 23 to 26 May 2019.<\/p>\n According to Bannon, the former German chancellor and the French president likewise represented liberal, pro-European politics.<\/p>\n Merkel will be thrown out, Bannon continued confidently. \u201cAfD 12 to 13\u201d, he wrote, by which he likely meant the party\u2019s preferences at the time or was predicting a desired election result.<\/p>\n \u201cYup,\u201d Epstein replied.<\/p>\n In another message, Bannon writes to Epstein on a Sunday evening about \u201cD-Day\u201d and gradually sends him the first election projections. \u201cFingers crossed,\u201d Epstein replies.<\/p>\n At this time, Bannon also met with politicians from the AfD, such as its chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla.<\/p>\n Centre-right MP Johannes Volkmann (CDU) considers the chats an indication of American influence on the AfD.<\/p>\n \u201cBannon, through his consultancy work for the AfD and others, wanted influence over European cryptocurrency regulation,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is surely just a coincidence that AfD MEPs in the European Parliament voted against the regulation in the following parliamentary term,\u201d Volkmann added.<\/p>\n The AfD denies that the American ever directed them. <\/p>\n \u201cSteve Bannon never had any influence on our party, and certainly not on the issue of cryptocurrencies,\u201d the AfD parliamentary group said<\/a> to Euronews. According to them, a consultancy relationship never existed.<\/p>\n Hatred towards Merkel<\/b><\/p>\n Just as is common today within the MAGA camp in the US and partially within the White House, Bannon perceived the European Union as an enemy and Merkel as the embodiment of \u201cglobalist institutions\u201d \u2013 a view shared by European far-right circles.<\/p>\n In another conversation with an individual whose identity is redacted in the files, Bannon expressed hope the German chancellor would soon \u201cend up under the bus.\u201d<\/p>\n The materials released by the US department of justice also contain news intelligence newsletters and emails in which Epstein inquired about German politics. <\/p>\n One email states that there would certainly still be people in Germany \u201cwho would prefer Adolf Hitler over Angela Merkel.\u201d At the same time, however, it adds that today one can no longer find any prominent politicians in Germany who would still \u201cpraise the nobility of the Nazis.\u201d<\/p>\n Epstein was also interested<\/a> in the question of succession to the German chancellor \u2014 perhaps because, like Bannon, he saw an opportunity for a political shift in a leadership change within an established party.<\/p>\n On 28 May 2019, Epstein forwarded a Bloomberg article to two contacts concerning Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, then-chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), whom some viewed as a potential future chancellor.<\/p>\n The Bloomberg text stated that Merkel increasingly doubted whether Kramp-Karrenbauer was suitable for the office. Approximately six months later, on 10 February 2020, the CDU leader announced that she was withdrawing her candidacy for chancellor in 2021. <\/p>\n At the same time, she also resigned from her position as CDU chairwoman.<\/p>\n Merkel ski injury<\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/f3743b979ff5d3b612f2e9d0836e3ce7.jpg\")
Epstein was also interested in the question of succession to the German chancellor (Photo:s_zeimke) <\/p>\n