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Almost all of the prominent U.S. neocons have been madly snapping at everything and everybody who opposes the Western right-wing dogmas, be they Chinese or Russian leaders, local opposition figures, or, lately, even the Pope.
Individuals, like Steve Bannon, often greatly influence leaders like President Donald Trump. Then they fall out of grace, sometimes because of some personal quarrels, and "get fired". But, regularly, at least some of them bounce back.
And, even if they do not return to the White House, do they disappear into thin air? Hardly. Their destructive legacy marches on.
Mr. Bannon cannot stand the Pontiff of the Catholic Church. Same as he hates the leadership of the People's Republic of China, or the Worker's Party (PT) in Brazil.
It is clear that behind his emotions is a disease so common to all neocons: loathing for the poor, and admiration for wealth and brutal power.
Pope Francis is as far from the former darling of the Western right-wing establishment, the Polish Cold-War warrior Pope John Paul the Second, as one can get. An Argentinian, a former bouncer of a nightclub, and an outspoken defender of the "have nots", Pope Francis is truly eccentric and human. As such he is continuously criticized, even insulted by Mr. Trump's entourage, as well as by the President himself.
"Disgraceful," fumed Mr. Trump, as early as 2016, when Pope Francis traveled to Mexico and declared that building walls between countries was not Christian.
The Pope's statements about social justice and the evilness of capitalism turned both Mr. Bannon and Mr. Trump into his sworn enemies.
In 2019, it was reported by The Telegraph that Steve Bannon advised the far-right Italian leader, Matteo Salvini, Italy's interior minister, to attack the Pope on immigration issues.
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Mr. Bannon was forced to leave the White House in August 2017 (where he served as President Trump's strategist), but he never abandoned the struggle against progressive governments, movements and individuals, worldwide.
Now he is based outside Rome, in the Trisulti Monastery, working with the far-right Dignitatis Humanae Institute.
He was accused of aiding Ms. Le Pen in France, and various other right-wing leaders in Europe. On May 20, 2019, The Telegraph published a chilling analysis:
"Mr. Bannon has made no bones about wanting to unify European nationalist parties via his group, The Movement, and is known to be close to Miss Le Pen and Italian populist leader Matteo Salvini.
"'If sovereignist, populist and nationalist movements do well in European elections, it will help these movements around the world and that will also be useful for Trump in America,' he told RMC."
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