What the Epstein Files Reveal About U.S. Interest in Matteo Salvini’s RiseNewly released documents from the so-called Epstein Files, a massive tranche of messages, emails and media connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, contain surprising references to Italian politics, in particular to Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing Lega and former interior minister.While there is no suggestion in the files of any involvement by Salvini in the criminal sex-trafficking network that Epstein ran, the material highlights how Epstein and his associates were paying close attention to the ascent of populist, nationalist leaders in Europe.  The documents,  millions of pages of communications made public by the U.S. Department of Justice, show that Epstein discussed European politics consistently in private exchanges with Steve Bannon, the American political strategist and former adviser to Donald Trump. Salvini’s name appears in more than twenty conversations, but not in relation to any personal scandal. Instead, the focus is on the political strategy and the potential growth of right-wing movements across Europe, including in Italy.  Many of the mentions date to the period between the Italian general election of March 2018, when the League captured about 18 per cent of the vote and later entered government, and the European Parliament elections of May 2019, a moment of clear momentum for the Italian party. In these exchanges, Bannon speaks of visiting Italy and meeting with Salvini during key moments of coalition-building and negotiation. Epstein wrote messages such as “We hope you are sitting on Salvini’s lap,” to which Bannon responded in English that the situation was the opposite. The phrasing, ambiguous and provocative, underscored the intense interest the two Americans had in Salvini’s political trajectory.  The files suggest that Epstein and Bannon were coordinating a broader strategy to support the electoral fortunes of several European right-wing leaders, including Salvini, Marine Le Pen in France and leaders in Hungary, Germany and the UK, under the umbrella of Bannon’s political organisation The Movement. In early exchanges in 2018, Bannon outlines ambitions to vastly increase right-wing seats in the European Parliament, framing alliances with Salvinian and Le Penist forces as central to that goal. Epstein, in turn, offered advice about the importance of in-person engagement in Europe, arguing that remote influence from the United States would not be enough.  At several points, the messages float scenarios in which a strong European Parliament showing by Salvini and others could trigger national upheavals, including new general elections in Italy and a shift toward further right-leaning governance. In a December 2018 exchange, Bannon laid out a blueprint in which the European right could capture a majority of parliamentary seats and then push for elections in Italy as soon as possible. Epstein’s reaction was blunt: “Damn, may God have mercy on their souls,” he wrote.  The files also contain exchanges from 2019 about electoral strategy and fundraising. In March that year, Bannon tells Epstein that he is focused on gathering money “for Le Pen and Salvini so they can field full slates of candidates,” though there is no clear evidence in the documents of how any funds may have been transferred or accounted for in official party records.  By the time of the 2019 European elections, the tone of the exchanges reflects both optimism and frustration: Bannon correctly predicts that Salvini’s support will peak too early, while his counterpart shifts focus to other leaders like Le Pen. The last messages referencing Salvini show that he remained part of the strategic calculus but that Europe’s political dynamics were volatile and unpredictable.  One unanswered question from the files is whether Epstein and Salvini ever met face-to-face. The documents include a passing remark in which Epstein mentions the possibility of going to Rome, with a third party noting that Salvini “would be interesting,” but there is no concrete evidence that the two men ever had direct contact. In another message, Epstein comments to an unidentified European political figure that “Salvini does not speak English,” a detail underscoring the transnational character of these conversations without proving personal engagement.  What the Epstein Files do reveal, however, is that Salvini’s rise was not ignored by influential figures closely tied to American political strategy. Their discussions frame his trajectory not solely as a matter of Italian domestic politics but as part of a larger effort to reshape the political landscape of Europe’s right. For Italian observers, the revelations raise questions about the intersections of foreign influence, populist networking and the global dynamics that shape national elections, even if no direct illicit link between Salvini and Epstein has been established. 

Newly released documents from the so-called Epstein Files, a massive tranche of messages, emails and media connected to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, contain surprising references to Italian politics, in particular to Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing Lega and former interior minister.While there is no suggestion in the files of any involvement by Salvini in the criminal sex-trafficking network that Epstein ran, the material highlights how Epstein and his associates were paying close attention to the ascent of populist, nationalist leaders in Europe.  The documents,  millions of pages of communications made public by the U.S. Department of Justice, show that Epstein discussed European politics consistently in private exchanges with Steve Bannon, the American political strategist and former adviser to Donald Trump. Salvini’s name appears in more than twenty conversations, but not in relation to any personal scandal. Instead, the focus is on the political strategy and the potential growth of right-wing movements across Europe, including in Italy.  Many of the mentions date to the period between the Italian general election of March 2018, when the League captured about 18 per cent of the vote and later entered government, and the European Parliament elections of May 2019, a moment of clear momentum for the Italian party. In these exchanges, Bannon speaks of visiting Italy and meeting with Salvini during key moments of coalition-building and negotiation. Epstein wrote messages such as “We hope you are sitting on Salvini’s lap,” to which Bannon responded in English that the situation was the opposite. The phrasing, ambiguous and provocative, underscored the intense interest the two Americans had in Salvini’s political trajectory.  The files suggest that Epstein and Bannon were coordinating a broader strategy to support the electoral fortunes of several European right-wing leaders, including Salvini, Marine Le Pen in France and leaders in Hungary, Germany and the UK, under the umbrella of Bannon’s political organisation The Movement. In early exchanges in 2018, Bannon outlines ambitions to vastly increase right-wing seats in the European Parliament, framing alliances with Salvinian and Le Penist forces as central to that goal. Epstein, in turn, offered advice about the importance of in-person engagement in Europe, arguing that remote influence from the United States would not be enough.  At several points, the messages float scenarios in which a strong European Parliament showing by Salvini and others could trigger national upheavals, including new general elections in Italy and a shift toward further right-leaning governance. In a December 2018 exchange, Bannon laid out a blueprint in which the European right could capture a majority of parliamentary seats and then push for elections in Italy as soon as possible. Epstein’s reaction was blunt: “Damn, may God have mercy on their souls,” he wrote.  The files also contain exchanges from 2019 about electoral strategy and fundraising. In March that year, Bannon tells Epstein that he is focused on gathering money “for Le Pen and Salvini so they can field full slates of candidates,” though there is no clear evidence in the documents of how any funds may have been transferred or accounted for in official party records.  By the time of the 2019 European elections, the tone of the exchanges reflects both optimism and frustration: Bannon correctly predicts that Salvini’s support will peak too early, while his counterpart shifts focus to other leaders like Le Pen. The last messages referencing Salvini show that he remained part of the strategic calculus but that Europe’s political dynamics were volatile and unpredictable.  One unanswered question from the files is whether Epstein and Salvini ever met face-to-face. The documents include a passing remark in which Epstein mentions the possibility of going to Rome, with a third party noting that Salvini “would be interesting,” but there is no concrete evidence that the two men ever had direct contact. In another message, Epstein comments to an unidentified European political figure that “Salvini does not speak English,” a detail underscoring the transnational character of these conversations without proving personal engagement.  What the Epstein Files do reveal, however, is that Salvini’s rise was not ignored by influential figures closely tied to American political strategy. Their discussions frame his trajectory not solely as a matter of Italian domestic politics but as part of a larger effort to reshape the political landscape of Europe’s right. For Italian observers, the revelations raise questions about the intersections of foreign influence, populist networking and the global dynamics that shape national elections, even if no direct illicit link between Salvini and Epstein has been established.