Emails Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to establish his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and places referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a aide.
A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges
The released communications also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others see the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was eventually removed in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was initially charged.