Revelations from Epstein Communications
Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon claimed he convinced Australian billionaire Clive Palmer to fund a $60 million advertising blitz against China and climate change policies during the 2019 federal election. This assertion emerges from a message Bannon sent on May 20, 2019, to an account linked to Jeffrey Epstein, just two days after Labor’s unexpected defeat.
In the exchange, part of documents from a U.S. investigation into Epstein’s pre-death communications, Bannon wrote: “I had Clive Palmer do the $60m anti China and anti climate change ads.” The materials highlight Epstein’s connections to influential figures, including former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, as well as billionaires like Elon Musk and Bill Gates.
Bannon’s Alleged Influence on Australian Politics
The conversation indicates Bannon privately touted his role in orchestrating what became Australia’s costliest political ad campaign. Epstein responded by noting that traditional campaigning has shifted to online efforts, pointing to the Australian election and Trump’s 2016 victory as examples where opinion polls proved unreliable.
“Telephone polls not accurate,” Epstein stated, advocating for a borderless populist movement. He suggested creating “new, non geographically limited groupings… You can champion a true world bank of the people not the countries.” Bannon agreed, replying: “Yes that’s the objective. Next stop Kazikstan [sic].”
This dialogue frames the 2019 Australian election as one element in a global strategy among populist operatives to challenge established parties, climate initiatives, and international bodies. Bannon, known for leading Breitbart News and serving as a key advisor on Trump’s 2016 campaign, openly discussed the Australian race in May 2019. He criticized it as lackluster and overly managed by consultants, arguing that such approaches strip politics of vitality.
Palmer’s Massive Campaign Spending
Campaign records show Palmer invested $83.6 million to promote the United Australia Party, flooding TV, radio, print, and online spaces with ads targeting Labor leader Bill Shorten, rejecting climate measures, and raising alarms about Chinese influence. Some spots alleged “communist China” plotted a secret takeover of Australia, even linking a remote Western Australian airport to potential military threats. Experts in defense and strategy labeled these assertions as fearmongering and unfounded conspiracy theories.
Despite failing to secure any seats, Palmer later credited his party’s 3.5% primary vote and preference flows to the Liberals with delivering victory to the Morrison government, especially in Queensland. Labor’s post-election analysis highlighted how Palmer’s outlays overshadowed their own messaging across media channels. It described his involvement as a disruptive force from a wealthy outsider outspending the entire party, and noted his ads amplified Coalition attacks on Labor in the campaign’s closing days—an unusual alignment between ostensible opponents.
The review called for reforms to curb excessive spending by individuals, warning that unlimited political funding endangers democratic fairness.
Palmer’s Political Background
A lifelong member of Queensland’s Liberal-National Party, Palmer won the House seat of Fairfax in 2013 and saw three senators elected for his party: Jacqui Lambie, Glen Lazarus, and Dio Wang. He lost in 2016 but has sustained visibility through bold, Trump-inspired ad efforts.
Bannon and Epstein’s Close Ties
The newly disclosed messages reveal frequent interactions between Bannon and Epstein, including shared meals and access to Epstein’s properties in Paris and Palm Beach, plus rides on his private jet. They exchanged lighthearted remarks about French President Emmanuel Macron’s warnings of foreign meddling in European elections by Bannon and Russian-affiliated groups.
“U saw where Macron campaign manager coming after me personally,” Bannon texted. Epstein replied: “It is an attack on the sovereignty of the election… it makes you want to throw up,” to which Bannon responded approvingly: “Loved it.” These details align with ongoing examinations of Bannon’s European engagements.
Bannon and Palmer have been approached for comment on these revelations.
