Correspondence Highlight the late financier and former Trump strategist Ties

Steve Bannon
Bannon was one of the former president's closest strategists before stepping down from the administration in August 2017

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can make the plane we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC managed to confirm his identity by matching the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford on November 16.

Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.

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

Bannon was one of Trump'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 producing a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

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

A short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".

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

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

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 messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and 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 move on. may soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people see the dedication of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of lack of support in December 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.

Oscar Martin
Oscar Martin

A technology strategist with over a decade of experience in global markets, passionate about digital transformation and sustainable innovation.

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