🔗 Share this article

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

The speech was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford on November 16.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.

On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others 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 "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".

May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.

A representative for the political party told media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The Congress will decide soon on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.