Emails Highlight Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Connection

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

The speech was disrupted by numerous protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters delayed my talk don't think I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent helper".

These messages were published on this week alongside over 20,000 documents 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 identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to establish his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and places mentioned.

For instance, Epstein talks about arranging a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the messages, and commends their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on 14 November, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any misconduct, did not reply on the inquiry.

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of the president's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.

He has admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and reportedly has around 15 hours of recordings. In a recording of his podcast recently, he said: "We plan to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the recently disclosed materials indicate Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time prior to the exchange in which Epstein seemed to booked a private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Not Included".

Discussing a trip to "AD" in a separate text, Epstein told Bannon: "I will ensure you're taken care of."

British Affairs Discussed in Messages

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein talking about UK politics in that year.

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

Then, in what seems like a allusion to the UK prime minister, the struggling UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "The guys are attempting to proceed. may soon…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the commitment of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".

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

A spokesman for Reform UK informed the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is nothing to suggest such a meeting took place.

The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the Department of Justice should make public all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in that year.

Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was renewed this week after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.

A portion of those referenced Trump, who has consistently rejected any wrongdoing. The president was a acquaintance of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, a couple of years prior to Epstein was first arrested.