Correspondence Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can catch the flight we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent helper".
These messages were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, events, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are well looked after."
British Affairs Discussed in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are trying to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so others see the dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.