Alliance Article: “Not All Philanthropists”
It’s time to stop kidding ourselves about billionaire philanthropy
June, 2026
Steve Bannon had some clear advice for Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. ‘First we need to push back on the lies…crush the pedo/ trafficking narrative,’ he said, and ‘rebuild your image as philanthropist.’ He goes further: reportedly suggesting ‘What about establishing THE major center for human trafficking, teenage prostitution etc etc etc – global problem, needs to be solved.’
Epstein’s files include ongoing emails with a company called reputationchanger.com, discussing the placement of carefully crafted articles, with vacuous platitudes about the value of philanthropy, styling him as a thought-leader in the field. Epstein’s philanthropy also lubricated his access to a diverse range of powerful and influential people. From the Clintons to Noam Chomsky, many appear to have been partly ensnared through overtures toward their philanthropic projects. Epstein’s philanthropy did not just operate alongside corridors of power but actively facilitated his entrance. Philanthropy has served reputational purposes since its inception. For example, in the Gilded Age, the Herculean philanthropist was constructed as someone who knows how to spend money for the benefit of humankind. The ultra-rich are noble problem-solvers, intellectuals, and humanitarians. But this was part of an attempt to prevent governments reining in (and taxing) their excesses. […….]