Messages Uncover the late financier and Steve Bannon Relationship
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's key aides in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We're going to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so others see the dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the people over here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
Theresa May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the justice department should make public all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.