🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent assistant".

These messages were released on this week together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon served as Trump's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a aide.

A few days prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

British Affairs Mentioned in Messages

The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.

On the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this day with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "The guys are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the people here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".

May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.

The Congress will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.