Correspondence Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent helper".
These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a aide.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people see the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the people here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was finally toppled in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.