Correspondence Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can catch the flight we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days before 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 the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
Theresa May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the justice department should make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.