Emails Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed speech I doubt I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing helper".
These messages were published on this week together with over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated 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 wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's key advisers in the lead-up to the presidential 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 death and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, 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 history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing 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 morning with Farage, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he added: "The guys are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the justice department should make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.