Messages Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".
These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC managed to confirm his involvement by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union 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 the president's key advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the people here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed recently after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, 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 early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.