🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".

These exchanges were released on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of Trump's key advisers 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 acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a aide.

A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

UK Politics Mentioned in Messages

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.

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

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "They are attempting to move on. May soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

May was eventually removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The Congress will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.

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

Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was initially charged.