Correspondence Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".
Epstein responded: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent helper".
These exchanges were published on this week together with more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The release by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC managed to establish his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as Trump's key aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the five-part series, next year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.
A few days before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you are well looked after."
British Affairs Discussed in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
On the day of his speech at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the period, he continued: "They are attempting to proceed. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely however the guys here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.
The Congress will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should release all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed this week after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those referenced the former president, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The president 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.