Messages Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed my talk don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon served as Trump's closest advisers in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
British Affairs Mentioned in Messages
The released communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to proceed. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was eventually removed in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents 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.