Billionaire Elon Musk has sparked fresh controversy by alleging that Steve Bannon, former Trump strategist, is named in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Musk made the claim Tuesday on X, posting simply, \u201cBannon is in the Epstein files,\u201d without offering further evidence or context.<\/p>\n
The post came in response to another from Roger Stone, a longtime Trump ally, who questioned Bannon\u2019s meetings with Epstein in New York and Paris following Epstein\u2019s sex crime conviction. Stone also referenced Bannon\u2019s alleged role in coaching Epstein for a 60 Minutes<\/em> interview that never aired, a claim backed by journalist Michael Wolff\u2019s book Too Famous<\/em>, which quotes Bannon coaching Epstein in 2019.<\/p>\n Although Bannon later told The New York Times<\/em> that he never \u201cmedia-trained\u201d Epstein, he admitted to meeting with him in connection with a documentary meant to expose Epstein\u2019s crimes. The accusations have resurfaced amid broader scrutiny over public access to Epstein-related documents.<\/p>\n Musk\u2019s comments on Bannon follow a similarly provocative claim weeks earlier, when he suggested Donald Trump was also named in Epstein files. Musk later walked back that statement but reignited tension by criticizing Trump for failing to release Epstein documents after a DOJ memo claimed no such \u201cclient list\u201d exists.<\/p>\n Trump has downplayed the issue, while his base\u2014including Tucker Carlson and Glenn Beck\u2014has pressed for answers. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who once claimed to possess Epstein\u2019s client list, has since reversed her position. Meanwhile, Bannon has fired back at Musk, accusing him of ties to China and even calling for his deportation.<\/p>\n