Trump Allies Musk, Bannon, and Thiel Named in New Epstein Estate Documents
Newly released documents from the estate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have reignited scrutiny into the late financier’s ties with powerful political and tech figures—including several close associates of President Donald Trump. The files, turned over to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and published by committee Democrats on Friday, indicate that Epstein maintained connections with Elon Musk, Steve Bannon, and Peter Thiel well after his 2008 sex crimes conviction.
According to a copy of Epstein’s itinerary, Musk—currently CEO of X (formerly Twitter) and Tesla—was tentatively scheduled to visit Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands on December 6, 2014. A handwritten note attached to the itinerary reads, “is this still happening?” Musk has previously denied any meaningful relationship with Epstein, though he has acknowledged being introduced to him at social events.
The documents also list a planned lunch with billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel on November 27, 2017, and a February 16, 2019 breakfast meeting with Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief strategist. The Bannon meeting took place just months before Epstein’s 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. Neither Bannon nor Thiel have issued public comments in response to the new revelations.
These meetings are particularly notable given the timing: all occurred after Epstein’s widely criticized 2007 non-prosecution agreement, which allowed him to avoid federal charges despite strong evidence he had exploited underage girls. Critics say the deal emboldened Epstein and gave him cover to continue abusing minors until his arrest more than a decade later.
While Musk, Bannon, and Thiel have not been formally accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, the newly released documents suggest that Epstein remained within elite social and political circles even after being labeled a sex offender.
Though not named in this batch of documents, Trump’s ties to Epstein and his inner circle remain a subject of ongoing public interest. Trump was photographed with Epstein on multiple occasions in the early 2000s and once described him as a “terrific guy” who “likes beautiful women, many of them on the younger side.” However, after Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Trump quickly distanced himself, claiming they had a falling out and had not spoken in over a decade.
Trump also downplayed the broader Epstein scandal during his presidency, at one point referring to the case and its surrounding conspiracies as a “hoax” when asked about Epstein’s death and alleged connections to other high-profile figures.
Yet some of Trump’s closest allies appear to have maintained relationships with Epstein long after his 2008 conviction. Bannon, a key architect of Trump’s 2016 campaign and his nationalist political platform, met with Epstein in early 2019. Thiel, another influential Trump supporter and a prominent GOP donor, had lunch with Epstein in late 2017, according to the documents. Both men helped shape Trump’s administration.
“This should be clear to every American: Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world,” said Sara Guerrero, a spokesperson for House Oversight Democrats. “Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims.”
The new disclosures come alongside other troubling revelations, including flight records confirming that Britain’s Prince Andrew flew on Epstein’s jet—dubbed the “Lolita Express” by locals—on multiple occasions in the early 2000s. According to the files, Epstein even arranged for Prince Andrew to receive $200 massages, the same amount Epstein’s victims have said they were paid.
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