In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.
The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Activists slowed down speech don't think I can make the plane we are heading to heathrow".
Epstein responded: "That. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 9:50 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".
These exchanges were released on this week alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late financier convicted of sex crimes.
The disclosure by the Congressional committee includes an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC managed to establish his involvement by matching the timeline, occurrences, and places referenced.
For example, Epstein talks about arranging a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon took part in the Edinburgh conference on November 14, and gave the speech at the Oxford Union on November 16.
Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply on the inquiry.
'I'll make sure you're well looked after'
Bannon served as the president's key advisers in the run up to the presidential election and during the initial phase of his first administration, but resigned from the White House in 2017.
He has acknowledged he was producing a film about Epstein prior to his passing and reportedly has around 15 hours of footage. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he stated: "We plan to publish the film, the multi-part documentary, next 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 prior to the exchange in which Epstein appeared to have booked a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "what's it like to have the highest-paid booking agent in the world ".
Bannon thanked him: "U r pretty good asst", to which Epstein responded "Therapies. Excluded".
Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you are taken care of."
UK Politics Mentioned in Messages
The published communications also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.
On the same day his address at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this day with Farage, Johnson and Rees Mogg."
Then, in what seems like a reference to the UK prime minister, the struggling British leader at the time, he continued: "The guys are trying to move on. May today / tomorrow…"
Epstein suggested Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can uk. Best-- so people get the dedication of your follow through."
Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa may remain in power". Bannon answered: "It seems unlikely BUT the guys here have little courage" and noted "Boris ; Michael Gove; Rees Mogg; David Davis - someone has to take charge".
May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving two votes of no confidence in December 2018.
A representative for Reform UK told media: "Farage has never been in a gathering with Steve Bannon, Jacob Rees Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter took place.
The US House of Representatives will decide soon on whether the justice department should make public all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019.
Interest in Epstein's associations with influential individuals was reignited recently after the release of over 20,000 documents from his archives.
Some of those referenced Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for a long time, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, a couple of years before Epstein was initially charged.
