Messages Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were released on this week alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A few days before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can uk. Ideal- so others get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was finally toppled in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.