Emails Uncover the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were published on this week together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations mentioned.
For instance, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making 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 publish the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A few days before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."
British Affairs Discussed in Messages
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so people see the dedication of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.