Steve Bannon, a former chief strategist for Donald Trump, has found himself at the center of a new controversy after newly released communications revealed he discussed removing Trump from office with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2018.

Texts Suggest Discussion of 25th Amendment

Bannon texted Epstein on New Year’s Eve 2018, following the Democrats’ victories in the midterm elections, stating that the White House had “zero plan to punch back.” Epstein responded, “He is really borderline. Not sure what he may do,” likely referring to Trump.

Bannon then sent a message saying, “I think it’s beyond borderline — 25th amendment…We really need an intervention.” This refers to the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the process for removing a president from office if they are deemed unable to perform their duties.

The revelation has sparked backlash from some of Trump’s former allies, who are questioning Bannon’s loyalty. The texts were uncovered as part of the Epstein files, a trove of documents related to the late financier, which have been widely scrutinized in recent months.

Controversy Over Silence on Epstein

Bannon has been vocal about the Epstein files in the past, even hosting discussions on his podcast, War Room, about the potential implications of the documents. However, he has not addressed his own involvement with Epstein, despite the controversy.

In a podcast episode, Bannon claimed that the Epstein files were a “ticking time bomb” for the Democrats and that Epstein was a key to unlocking secrets about various institutions, including foreign governments. However, he has been notably silent on his own ties to Epstein since the files were made public.

“Weirdly enough, Bannon, who raved about the release of the Epstein files, is yet to make any comment about his own involvement with the disgraced sex offender,” the Inquisitr report noted.

Former Allies Call for Transparency

Former Trump allies have called on Bannon to be transparent about his relationship with Epstein. Laura Loomer, a conservative commentator, told CNN that Bannon should be “100 percent forthcoming” about his connection with Epstein.

Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to Trump, criticized Bannon on X, stating, “I remember all the 25th amendment talk back in the first term. It was really ugly. If Bannon AND Epstein were behind it, Bannon needs to be brought in for questioning. And he needs to address this.”

Bannon has not directly addressed the allegations but gave a roundabout explanation to The New York Times, saying, “I am a filmmaker and TV host with decades of experience interviewing controversial figures… That’s the only lens through which these private communications should be viewed.”

Epstein was known to be concerned about Trump’s mental state. He wrote to Trump’s biographer, Michael Wolff, about a dinner where some guests were worried about Trump’s cognitive health, noting that he “did not recognize old friends.”

As the controversy continues, questions remain about how long Bannon will avoid addressing the implications of his past statements. The release of the Epstein files has already had significant consequences, including the resignation of several high-profile individuals and ongoing legal investigations.

“It remains to be seen just how much longer Bannon manages to avoid acknowledging this past blunder,” the Inquisitr report concluded.