Correspondence Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down my talk I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".
These messages were released on this week alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet 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 replied "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are well looked after."
UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges
The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Ideal- so others get the dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.