Emails Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".
These messages were published on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's key aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are well looked after."
British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view staying as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally removed in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.