🔗 Share this article Correspondence Uncover Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon Ties Bannon was one of the former president's closest strategists prior to stepping down from the administration in August 2017 In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously a top aide to Donald Trump, was in the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union. The speech was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters slowed down my talk don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to heathrow". Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an excellent assistant". These exchanges were published on Wednesday together with over 20,000 documents from the estate of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender. The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is withheld. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by matching the dates, events, and locations mentioned. For example, Epstein talks about chartering a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later. Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry. Epstein's Assurance to Bannon Bannon served as Trump's key aides 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 admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We're going to publish the film, the five-part series, in the coming year - early next year." But the newly released materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant. A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in history ". Bannon thanked him: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Not Included". Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I'll make sure you're taken care of." UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges The released communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein talking about British political matters in 2018. On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Mogg." Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the time, he added: "They are trying to move on. May soon…" Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can uk. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow through." Shortly after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon replied: "I don't see how however the people over here have no balls" and added "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; Davis - someone has to take charge". Theresa May was finally removed in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018. A representative for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Farage has not been in a meeting with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting took place. The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records concerning its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year. Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed this week after the publication of more than 20,000 pages from his estate. Some of those referenced Trump, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.