Messages Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can make the flight we are heading to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were released on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and places mentioned.
For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the series, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
British Affairs Mentioned in Exchanges
The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.
Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
Some of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.