Epstein Files: Former Steve Bannon Associate Alleged He Was A Conduit For Epstein And Israeli Influence In The White House.

A Controversial Right Wing Blogger Alleged That Steve Bannon Was A Conduit For Israeli Influence In The Trump White House.

Feb 06, 2026

The recently released Epstein Files contains a transcript of an FBI interview with Charles C. Johnson, a controversial right-wing blogger and former associate of Steve Bannon, who alleged that Bannon was a conduit for Epstein and the Israel lobby when he was the chief White House strategist and after his firing in 2017.

According to the FBI document, which was from 2020, Johnson “was friends with Bannon and they used to work together. Jonson maintained a friendship with Steve Bannon for a long time but has since cut ties. Johnson was paid by Bannon to do research prior to the 2016 presidential election.

According to Charles C. Johnson’s allegations, Steve Bannon was close to the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and Zionist donor Sheldon Adelson, and would leak information to the press to further their goals in coordination with Arthur Schwartz, a Trump-connected Republican operative who is allegedly “an Israeli activist and public relations expert and may be an Israeli intelligence source.”

Summarizing the Johnson interview, the FBI document wrote:

Johnson’ said Bannon was close to the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and Sheldon Adelson, who supports the group. Johnson described ZOA as “sketchy.” He said Arthur Schwartz was also involved in leaks and may be connected to ZOA He said Schwartz leaked to the New York Post and “worked hand in glove” with Bannon . Schwartz was close to Israeli donors and ingratiated himself to NSC staffers; Donald Trump Jr.; and Bannon. Schwartz was not a fan of POTUS during the election but often attended events after the election. Schwartz was an Israeli activist and public relations expert and may be an Israeli intelligence source. Schwartz had friends on the NSC and often had lunch with WH interns. Schwartz was known to have had ties with New York Post Reporter Arthur Hinaglow.

Giving an example of this, Johnson alleged that Bannon and Schwartz conspired to leak negative information to the press about Trump’s then national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, because the Zionist Organization of America wanted him removed due to his reservations around their desired Iran policy, presumably, the withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear deal.

The FBI document noted:

Johnson said ZOA wanted H.R. McMaster removed as National Security Adviser with support from affiliates in the administration. Johnsonsaid it was a concerted effort to smear and remove McMaster because of policy disagreements about Iran.
Johnson told Agents to look at the Rosie Gray story in The Atlantic in which Ezra Cohen-Watnick (COHEN) is mentioned. Johnson said Cohen leaked to the media. He said Schwartz bragged to Johnson that Cohen provided him information. Johnson assumed Schwartz only talked to Cohen and Bannon because of their relationships, but Schwartz never told him those are the only two people he talked to. Johnson said Cohen worked closely with Bannon and was fired from the NSC for leaking material. Johnson said Schwartz also got information from another NSC staffer, Josh S., who was Jewish. Johnson also said that Emily Smith told him that the MCmaster “getting drunk” story was made up and she got it from Schwartz.

Johnson further alleged that Steve Bannon was getting paid by Jeffrey Epstein with money from Israel, and raised the possibility that Bannon even used Israeli technology to get information out of the White House.

The FBI document read:

Johnson expressed concern that Jefferey Epstein was an Israeli spy. He and Bannon may have had a business relationship and Epstein paid Bannon with money from the Israelis. JOHNSON referenced a news story about Israel and Stingray equipment found around the WH. Bannon may have utilized the technology to get information out of the WH.

Politco reported in 2019 that “The U.S. government concluded within the past two years that Israel was most likely behind the placement of cellphone surveillance devices that were found near the White House and other sensitive locations around Washington, according to three former senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.”

Text messages between Steve Bannon and Jefferey Epstein show both of them praising Israel and boasting about Steve Bannon’s Zionism.

In one text exchange from 2016, Epstein told Bannon, “Pope is wrong on policy”, “You’re an honorary jew anyway”, “Now it no longer judeo christian . Just judeo” to which Bannon replied, “Honored”, “I will drop the ‘Christian’ in ‘Christian Zionist’”.

In another conversation, Bannon shared an article with Epstein which presumably claimed that Israel could cure cancer and in the following conversation said:

Bannon: Is this real ?
Epstein: No
Bannon: Damn
Epstein: Why , are you planning to get some. Cancer is smarter
Bannon: Jews are smarter.
Epstein: it defends itself well
Bannon: My money on Israel
Epstien: No worry I’ll support you afterwards. Israel is always have the answers. Aging, cancer, Its the jews in the states that produce results.
Bannon: Woah!!!
Epstien: Inside baseball. I get an Israeli co a day - arabs invest :).