🔗 Share this article

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

The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down my talk I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing 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 disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.

Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.

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

Bannon served as the president's key advisers 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 August 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 recording of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."

But the newly released documents indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times appearing to serve like a aide.

A few days before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."

UK Politics Discussed in Messages

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.

Earlier on the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the people here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

May was eventually toppled in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told 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 decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those mentioned Trump, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.