🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed speech don't think I can catch the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent helper".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.

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

Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

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

A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable asst", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

The published 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've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."

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

Theresa May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A representative for the political party told media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to 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 archives.

Some of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.