🔗 Share this article

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

The event was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent helper".

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

The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to establish his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, events, and places referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford on November 16.

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

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

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

He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.

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

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.

On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit issue this day with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the embattled British leader at the period, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. May soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".

May was eventually removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied 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 before Epstein was initially charged.