Emails Reveal the late financier and former Trump strategist Relationship

Steve Bannon
Bannon served as Trump's top advisers prior to resigning from the administration in August 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 protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to board a flight that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down my talk don't think I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".

Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air departing at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".

These messages were published on Wednesday alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.

The release by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. Media outlets managed to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, events, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from Scotland for the redacted user in the messages, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon took part in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and delivered the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the request for comment.

'I'll make sure you're well looked after'

Bannon served as Trump's key aides in the lead-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 admitted he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and allegedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - early next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the convicted paedophile at times seeming to act like a aide.

A few days before the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid travel agent in history ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "You are pretty good assistant", to which Epstein replied "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a visit to "AD" in another message, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."

British Affairs Discussed in Exchanges

The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing British political matters in 2018.

On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the EU exit thing this day with Nigel, Johnson and Rees Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "They are trying to move on. may today / tomorrow…"

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

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people here have no balls" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of lack of support in late 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "Farage has not been in a gathering with Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Johnson." And there is no evidence such a meeting occurred.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in that year.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with powerful figures was renewed recently after the publication of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

A portion of those referenced Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a friend of Epstein's for years, but says they parted ways in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was first arrested.

Lisa Cole
Lisa Cole

Mira is a data scientist and tech writer specializing in analytics tools and digital transformation strategies.