🔗 Share this article

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly a top aide to Donald Trump, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can make the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent helper".

These messages were published on this week alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.

The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by matching the dates, events, and places mentioned.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the inquiry.

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

Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.

A few days before the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.

On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others get the dedication of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

May was finally removed in 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in December 2018.

A spokesman for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.