What has the Pope said about the Epstein Affair?
The pope has not directly commented on the details of the Epstein affair as a moral or criminal scandal, though newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents show that Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump aide Steve Bannon discussed strategies to undermine and target Pope Francis.
Key Details from Released Documents
• Targeting Pope Francis: Emails and text messages from June 2019 show Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein discussing plans to use a project based on Frédéric Martel's book In the Closet of the Vatican to undermine Pope Francis.
• Geopolitical Leverage: The files reveal that Epstein and his associates viewed the Vatican and the Vatican Bank primarily as geopolitical pressure points or centers of power rather than spiritual institutions.
• Vatican Bank Scrutiny: Earlier emails from 2013 contained exchanges regarding leadership changes and transparency rules at the Institute for Works of Religion (the Vatican Bank).
• Disdain for the Church: While Epstein possessed a photograph of himself meeting St. John Paul II at a public audience, the released files indicate an overall disdain for the Catholic Church, alongside private messages where Epstein mocked victims of abuse relying on faith.
Key Details from Released Documents
• Targeting Pope Francis: Emails and text messages from June 2019 show Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein discussing plans to use a project based on Frédéric Martel's book In the Closet of the Vatican to undermine Pope Francis.
• Geopolitical Leverage: The files reveal that Epstein and his associates viewed the Vatican and the Vatican Bank primarily as geopolitical pressure points or centers of power rather than spiritual institutions.
• Vatican Bank Scrutiny: Earlier emails from 2013 contained exchanges regarding leadership changes and transparency rules at the Institute for Works of Religion (the Vatican Bank).
• Disdain for the Church: While Epstein possessed a photograph of himself meeting St. John Paul II at a public audience, the released files indicate an overall disdain for the Catholic Church, alongside private messages where Epstein mocked victims of abuse relying on faith.
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