🔗 Share this article

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

The event was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can make the plane we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".

These exchanges were published on this week together with over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by matching the dates, events, and places mentioned.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon was one of the president's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

A short time before the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.

Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this day with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."

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

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

A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.

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