Messages Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed my talk don't think I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".
These messages were released on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
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 dates, occurrences, and places mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". 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 wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's key advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast recently, he stated: "We plan to release the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile at times appearing to serve like a personal assistant.
A short time 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 the world ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.
Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he added: "They are attempting to move on. may today / tomorrowâŠ"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others see the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to take charge".
Theresa May was finally toppled in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A representative for the political party informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed recently after the release of more than 20,000 documents from his estate.
A portion of those referenced Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.