Correspondence Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing helper".
These messages were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk 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 was one of Trump's key aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a aide.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this day with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should make public all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.