Correspondence Highlight the late financier and Steve Bannon Ties
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing helper".
These messages were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of the president's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a film about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the film, the five-part series, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.
On the day of his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others see the dedication of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for Reform UK informed media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.
Interest in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was reignited this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.