Messages Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for 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 email: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were published on this week together with over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president'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 administration in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."
But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A few days 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 the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
British Affairs Mentioned in Messages
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "They are attempting to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have little courage" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The Congress will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.