🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.

The event was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing helper".

These messages were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, 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 "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.

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

Bannon served as the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.

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

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.

A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.

The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should make public all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.