🔗 Share this article

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

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can make 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 answered: "U r an amazing helper".

These messages were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and locations mentioned.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford on November 16.

Bannon, who is not accused 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 closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".

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

British Affairs Mentioned in Messages

The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.

On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually removed in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in December 2018.

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

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.

Some of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was initially charged.