Emails Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These messages were released on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein before his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to 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 history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are trying to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.