Correspondence Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection
In November 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was interrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein replied: "That. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".
These messages were published on Wednesday together with more than 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his involvement by matching the timeline, events, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from the UK for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon was one of Trump's key advisers 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 film about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show recently, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, next 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: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein replied "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of."
British Affairs Discussed in Messages
The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in that year.
Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the time, he added: "They are attempting to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."
Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".
May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for the political party told media: "Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will vote next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has repeatedly rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.