Emails Uncover the late financier and Steve Bannon Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech don't think I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing helper".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon served as Trump's key advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.
A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this day with Farage, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister 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. Ideal- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the people here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.