Emails Uncover the late financier and former Trump strategist Ties
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down my talk I doubt I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing assistant".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For instance, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's closest aides in the lead-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 making a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We plan to publish the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A short time before the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "They are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Ideal- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was finally removed in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.