Emails Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can make the plane we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.
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 was one of the president's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has admitted he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
British Affairs Mentioned in Exchanges
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.
Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this day with Farage, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the people here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A representative for the political party told media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
A portion of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.