🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland 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 delivered the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.

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 the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.

He has admitted 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 stated: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

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

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are well looked after."

UK Politics Discussed in Messages

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

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

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

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so people see the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".

May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.

A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.

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

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

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.