Correspondence Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent helper".
These exchanges were published on this week alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, events, and places referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "They are trying to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others get the dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
Some of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.