🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The event was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

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

These exchanges were published on this week alongside more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations mentioned.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford 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 was one of the president's key aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We're going to release the series, the five-part series, next year - early next year."

But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a aide.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

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

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

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

On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others see the commitment of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.

A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.