Messages Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were published on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of the president's closest advisers in the lead-up to the presidential 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 producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a aide.
A short time before the exchange 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 quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so people see the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the people here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
Theresa May was finally toppled in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the publication of over 20,000 pages from his archives.
Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.