Right-wing firebrand Steve Bannon recorded hours of interviews with sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, ostensibly to help prep him for a 60 Minutes interview that was never filmed, according to author Michael Wolff.
The surprising incident in early 2019, months before Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges, is recounted in Wolff's upcoming book, Too Famous, according to the New York Times.
Relying on transcripts of what Epstein appears to think are practice interviews, Wolff writes that Bannon both interviewed and coached Bannon, advising him to look at the camera occasionally and warning him not to share his racist theories about how black people learn.
In the interviews at Epstein's New York mansion, Bannon frequently advised Epstein to stick to his main message, namely that he is not a pedophile, according to Wolff.
Steve Bannon (left) recorded hours of interviews with sex predator Jeffrey Epstein (right) in early 2019, according to author Michael Wolff
Author Michael Wolff (above) revealed the previously unknown incident, relying on transcripts of what Epstein appears to think are practice interviews
Towards the end of the interviews, Bannon praised Epstein, Wolff writes, telling him: 'You're engaging, you're not threatening, you're natural, you're friendly, you don't look at all creepy, you're a sympathetic figure.'
Wolff's new book is due out in October
Bannon, the former chief strategist for Donald Trump who was pardoned for fraud charges, denied that he had ever media-trained Epstein, but confirmed that the interviews took place.
Bannon told the Times that he recorded more than 15 hours of interviews with Epstein for a previously unannounced documentary
