🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.

The event was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop 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 disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and locations mentioned.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering 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 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, 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 run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.

A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.

On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "They are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A representative for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.