Correspondence Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk don't think I can catch the plane we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These messages were published on this week alongside over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's key advisers in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for the political party informed media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.