"Dozens of messages contained in the latest tranche of Epstein files lay bare the attempts by Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon to tap Jeffrey Epstein for support and funding to bolster European far-right parties. The messages mostly date to 2018 and 2019, when Bannon, after being sacked by Trump, regularly visited Europe in his quest to forge a movement in the European parliament uniting ultra-rightwing and Eurosceptic forces from several countries including Italy, Germany, France, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and Austria."
"Italian opposition parties this week urged Salvini to clarify whether Epstein influenced the rise of the League after Salvini's name was cited several times in messages exchanged between Bannon and Epstein. In France, the leftwing party La France Insoumise also called for a cross-party parliament inquiry after several French figures, including Jack Lang, a former culture minister, and his daughter appeared in the latest Epstein trove."
"In Germany, the files revealed exchanges between Epstein and Bannon promoting Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) while denigrating the then German chancellor, Angela Merkel. In texts from 2018, Bannon bragged about his influence as an adviser to the new right-wing populists and saw the parties' gains in Europe as a chance to use them to his and Epstein's benefit. There is no evidence of any direct relations between Salvini and Epstein, nor any suggestion that Salvini was involved in Epstein's sex-trafficking network."
Dozens of messages from Epstein's files show Steve Bannon attempting to tap Jeffrey Epstein for funding and support to bolster and unite European far-right and Eurosceptic parties. The communications, mainly from 2018–2019, document Bannon's trips to Europe and efforts to create a parliamentary movement spanning Italy, Germany, France, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and Austria. Bannon focused on figures such as Matteo Salvini and sought funds for Marine Le Pen. French and Italian opposition groups called for inquiries after several names appeared in the files, including Jack Lang. The messages reveal Epstein's interest in European nationalists, though no evidence links Salvini to Epstein's trafficking network.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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