Emails Uncover the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".
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 name is redacted. Media outlets has been able to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast recently, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times seeming to act like a aide.
A few days before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane 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 assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
British Affairs Mentioned in Exchanges
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "They are attempting to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".
Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.
A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently 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 before Epstein was first arrested.