🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave 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 was one of the president's key advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a aide.

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

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."

British Affairs Mentioned in Messages

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

On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

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

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

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.

The Congress will decide soon on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.