Emails Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, 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 presidential 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 reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "They are trying to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.