Messages Reveal 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 speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For instance, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh 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 request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon served as the president's closest advisers 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 producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "They are attempting to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told media: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.