Emails Highlight the late financier and former Trump strategist Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane 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 speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of the president's key advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We're going to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the embattled British leader at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the people over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently 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 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.