Correspondence Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".
These messages were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of Trump's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this day with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 documents from his estate.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.