Correspondence Highlight the late financier and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon served as the president's key aides in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.
He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A few days before 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 history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The Congress will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.