Messages Reveal the late financier and Steve Bannon Relationship

In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The event was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can make the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein replied: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "You are an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were released on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and places referenced.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from the UK for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk 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 key aides in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast recently, he stated: "We're going to publish the series, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - early next year."

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

A few days before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "U r quite capable assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

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

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.

Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he added: "The guys are trying to move on. may soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others get the dedication of your follow-up."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how however the guys over here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to step up".

May was finally removed in May 2019 after withstanding two votes of no confidence in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting occurred.

The US House of Representatives will vote soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.

Some of those mentioned Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The president was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they fell out in the 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was initially charged.