Correspondence Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist 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 speech was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed speech I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC managed to establish his involvement by matching the dates, events, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses arranging a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, declined to comment on the inquiry.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A few days prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon thanked him: "You are quite capable asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.

On the day of his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what seems like a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "They are trying to proceed. May today / tomorrow…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Best-- so others get the commitment of your follow through."

Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the guys over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - somebody has to step up".

Theresa May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was first arrested.