Correspondence Highlight the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The event was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed my talk I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the dates, events, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein discusses 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 News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he said: "We plan to release the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."
But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally appearing to serve like a aide.
A few days prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure 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 same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the EU exit issue this morning with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others see the commitment of your follow-up."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the people here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed this week after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those referenced the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was initially charged.