🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".

These messages were published on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to establish his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, occurrences, and locations mentioned.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.

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

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile at times 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 most highly paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are well looked after."

British Affairs Mentioned in Messages

The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.

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

Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in December 2018.

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

The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.