Correspondence Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of Trump's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
On the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting 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 dedication of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.