Emails Highlight the late financier and former Trump strategist Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed 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 stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent assistant".
These messages were released on Wednesday together with over 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 identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the inquiry.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon served as the president's key aides in the run 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 death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A short time before the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "They are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the people here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the justice department should release all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was initially charged.