🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.

The speech was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".

These exchanges were published on this week together with over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.

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

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as Trump's key advisers in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Not Included".

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

UK Politics Discussed in Messages

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

Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this day with Farage, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others get the dedication of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.

The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the justice department should make public all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.