Emails Highlight the late financier and former Trump strategist Relationship

Steve Bannon
Bannon was one of the former president's top strategists before resigning from the administration in 2017

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a address at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to board a flight that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can catch the flight we r enroute to heathrow".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an amazing helper".

These exchanges were released on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the records of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.

The disclosure by the Congressional committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets has been able to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.

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

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon served as the president's key advisers in the lead-up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show recently, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A few days prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid booking agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The released messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in 2018.

Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the embattled British leader at the period, he continued: "They are trying to move on. may soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; Davis - somebody has to take charge".

Theresa May was finally removed in 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.

A representative for Reform UK informed media: "Nigel Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.

The Congress will vote soon on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

Some of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.

Benjamin Wilson
Benjamin Wilson

Cloud architect and tech writer with over a decade of experience in enterprise cloud solutions and digital innovation.