🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed speech I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing helper".

These messages were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.

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

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

Bannon served as Trump's key aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Not Included".

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

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

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

Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".

May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.

Some of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.