🔗 Share this article

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

The event was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".

These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". 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 wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.

A few days before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."

UK Politics Mentioned in Messages

The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others see the dedication of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the guys over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

A portion of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was initially charged.