Messages Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".
Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.