🔗 Share this article

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed speech I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent assistant".

These messages were released on Wednesday together with over 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations referenced.

For instance, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, 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.

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

Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

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

A short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

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

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The released communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.

On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted 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 period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the guys over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in late 2018.

A representative for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.