Messages Highlight the late financier and Steve Bannon Connection
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by numerous demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down speech don't think I can make the plane we are heading to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent helper".
These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the House oversight committee includes an text conversation where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and locations mentioned.
For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union two days later.
Bannon, who is not accused of any misconduct, did not reply on the request for comment.
Epstein's Assurance to Bannon
Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the lead-up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his presidency, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein before his passing and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the series, the five-part series, 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 short time before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".
Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are well looked after."
British Affairs Mentioned in Messages
The released messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.
Earlier on the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit thing this day with Nigel, Boris and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he added: "The guys are attempting to move on. May soon…"
Epstein advised Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa May remain in power". Bannon answered: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".
May was finally toppled in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in late 2018.
A spokesman for the political party told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest that encounter occurred.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Attention in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 pages from his estate.
A portion of those mentioned the former president, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.