Correspondence Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists 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 that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent helper".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
British Affairs Mentioned in Exchanges
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he added: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others see the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was finally removed in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.
The Congress will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.