Messages Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Relationship
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were published on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show recently, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier 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 remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.
On the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this morning with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow-up."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally removed in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.