🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.

The event was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent helper".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents 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. The BBC managed to establish his identity by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange 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 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 admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Mentioned in Messages

The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.

On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others get the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.