Messages Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These exchanges were released on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act 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 highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled British leader at the period, he continued: "They are trying to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can in the UK. Best-- so people see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning 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 over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.