Emails Uncover the late financier and Steve Bannon Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to establish his involvement by matching the dates, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days before the conversation 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 assistant", 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 are taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this morning with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he added: "They are attempting to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally toppled in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.