🔗 Share this article

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

The event was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".

These messages were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein talks about 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 on November 16.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as the president's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.

On the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others see the dedication of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people over here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.

A representative for the political party informed the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.

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

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