Emails Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a aide.
A few days before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was eventually removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris 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 files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was reignited recently after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.