🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can make the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".

These messages were released on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and locations mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

A short time before the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

UK Politics Discussed in Messages

The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.

Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this day with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to move on. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others see the dedication of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".

Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in December 2018.

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

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.