🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.

The speech was interrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "There. 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 Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents 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 withheld. The BBC 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 "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon was one of the president's closest advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

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

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this day with Farage, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "They are attempting to proceed. may soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so people see the dedication of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the people here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

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

A representative for Reform UK told media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.

The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should release all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.