Emails Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an excellent assistant".
These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For instance, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the lead-up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days 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 the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.
Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.