Correspondence Uncover the late financier and former Trump strategist Relationship
In late 2018, Steve Bannon, formerly Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the flight we are heading to the airport".
Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing helper".
These messages were released on this week together with more than 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and locations referenced.
For example, Epstein discusses arranging a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and delivered the speech 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 served as the president's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but stepped down from the administration in August 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year."
But the recently disclosed materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile occasionally seeming to act like a aide.
A short time before the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in history ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".
Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein assured Bannon: "I'll make sure you're well looked after."
UK Politics Discussed in Messages
The published communications also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.
Earlier on the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Boris and Mogg."
Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the struggling British leader at the time, he added: "They are trying to move on. may soon…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others get the commitment of your follow through."
Soon after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May survive". Bannon replied: "I don't see how BUT the guys here have no balls" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - somebody has to step up".
Theresa May was eventually removed in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.
A representative for the political party told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.
The Congress will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its files related to its investigation into Epstein, who passed away 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 referenced Trump, who has repeatedly denied any impropriety. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the early 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.