Messages Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can catch the plane we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent assistant".
These messages were published on this week alongside more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to establish his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, 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 advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Messages
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as long as you can uk. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow through."
Soon 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 "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris 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 make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his archives.
Some of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.