Emails Uncover the late financier and former Trump strategist Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The event was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent helper".
These messages were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the dates, events, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford two days later.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in 2017.
He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "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 connection with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in that year.
Earlier on the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "The guys are attempting to proceed. May soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".
May was eventually removed in May 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.
A portion of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.