Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has ignited a contentious debate within conservative circles by suggesting that Steve Bannon, a former advisor to President Donald Trump, appears in the Jeffrey Epstein files. The claim, made on Musk's social media platform X, targets Bannon, who served as Trump's campaign director and senior advisor. This development comes as the Trump administration faces criticism for the conclusion of the Epstein sex trafficking saga, a controversy that has led to backlash from prominent MAGA figures, including Tucker Carlson.
The allegation emerged in response to a post from Roger Stone, another former Trump advisor, who raised questions about Bannon's alleged connections to the convicted sex offender. Stone questioned Bannon's rationale for meeting with Epstein at multiple locations following Epstein's sex crime conviction in Florida. These inquiries referenced reports suggesting Bannon had helped prepare Epstein for a CBS 60 Minutes interview that never aired. The meetings reportedly took place at Epstein's New York residence and in Paris.
Journalist Michael Wolff, in his book "Too Famous: The Rich, the Powerful, the Wishful, the Notorious, the Damned," alleged that Bannon coached Epstein during a 2019 session, advising him on how to appear non-threatening and sympathetic. Wolff's investigation into Epstein's final years revealed a comment by Bannon to Epstein: "You're engaging, you're not threatening, you're natural, you're friendly, you don't look at all creepy, you're a sympathetic figure." Bannon, however, previously denied media training Epstein when questioned by the New York Times, claiming the meeting was part of a documentary project to expose Epstein's crimes against young women.
The current accusation represents an escalation in an ongoing feud between Musk and various Trump allies. Carlson, the former Fox News host, has accused the government of orchestrating a cover-up regarding Epstein's files to protect American and Israeli intelligence services. He spearheaded criticism following the Trump administration's failure to release Epstein-related documents as promised during the campaign.
The controversy intensified after Attorney General Pam Bondi declared that no evidence exists to support claims that Epstein was murdered or maintained a comprehensive client list. Bondi's statements marked a departure from previous administration rhetoric about forthcoming revelations. Carlson, reflecting the frustration among Trump supporters, stated on his podcast that it was "obvious" Bondi was "covering up crimes."
Carlson dismissed speculation that Trump's reluctance to release the files stemmed from personal involvement with Epstein. "I don't think he's that guy, actually," Carlson said regarding Trump. "I don't think he likes creepy sex stuff." Instead, Carlson proposed a more complex explanation involving intelligence agencies, suggesting that American and Israeli services are central to the Epstein affair and require protection from exposure.
Supporting this theory, Sagaar Enjeti, host of Breaking Points, referenced reports from 2021 indicating that federal prosecutors declined to pursue pedophilia cases within the CIA to avoid revealing operational methods. Enjeti cited a BuzzFeed News investigation that revealed the CIA's preference for internal handling over federal prosecution to protect classified information. He noted that CIA personnel faced prosecution for child pornography charges only when already facing separate classified information violations.
The discussion about the Epstein files prompted a tense exchange between Trump and reporters during a Cabinet meeting, as reported by Resist the Mainstream. When questioned about Bondi's statements, Trump expressed frustration with the media's focus on Epstein, suggesting that attention should instead be directed toward current events like the Texas flooding and international conflicts.
