Dave Aronberg, former State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida—the jurisdiction where Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes first came to light—has sharply criticized Steve Bannon for questioning the authenticity of newly released photographs showing Bannon with Epstein. In a December 2025 MSNBC interview, Aronberg described Bannon’s claims as baseless, likening the photos’ provenance to being “as authentic as a $3 bill”—a twist on the idiom emphasizing their undeniable legitimacy.
The controversy stems from a December 12, 2025, release by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee of nearly 100 images from Epstein’s estate. Among them: multiple shots of Bannon with Epstein, including one of the pair taking a mirror selfie and another with Bannon seated across Epstein’s desk. Other photos feature former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, tech billionaire Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, and former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The committee sourced the images directly from Epstein’s seized properties, with chain-of-custody records confirming their origin.
Bannon, a longtime Trump ally who corresponded extensively with Epstein and reportedly filmed hours of unreleased interviews with him in 2019, quickly dismissed the photos on his War Room podcast as potential “deepfakes” or manipulated by political opponents. He suggested Democrats were selectively releasing “cherry-picked” material to smear Republicans, despite the images including figures from both parties.
Aronberg, who has commented extensively on the Epstein case due to its roots in Palm Beach, rejected Bannon’s skepticism outright. “These aren’t AI-generated or doctored—they come straight from Epstein’s own archives, cataloged by federal investigators,” Aronberg said. He accused Bannon of deflection, noting the irony given Bannon’s prior demands for full Epstein file transparency. “When the evidence points back at you, suddenly it’s all a hoax?”
The photos have intensified scrutiny of Bannon’s ties to Epstein. Prior releases revealed texts where Bannon advised Epstein on media strategy amid mounting allegations, and Epstein offered political connections. Bannon has denied coaching Epstein for a “redemption tour,” insisting his interactions were journalistic.
As more Epstein materials emerge under the 2025 Transparency Act—including over a million additional documents discovered in late December—the debate over authenticity versus accountability rages. Aronberg’s rebuke underscores a broader frustration: attempts to discredit verified evidence risk undermining justice for Epstein’s victims, whose stories these records corroborate.
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