Messages Highlight the late financier and former Trump strategist Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can catch the flight we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment 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 lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The released communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled British leader at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. May soon…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 pages from his archives.
A portion of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.