🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The event was interrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford 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 Trump's key advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a aide.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

On the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are attempting to proceed. May soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the people over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.

Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.