Emails Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down my talk I doubt I can make the flight 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 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 release by the Congressional committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations 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 key aides in the lead-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 death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.
On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was eventually removed in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was initially charged.