🔗 Share this article

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

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent assistant".

These exchanges were published on this week together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations mentioned.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.

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

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as Trump's key advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he stated: "We're going to release the series, the five-part series, next year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."

British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges

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

On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit thing this day with Farage, Boris and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister 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 people get the commitment of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".

May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding two votes of lack of support in December 2018.

A representative for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.

A portion of those referenced Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.