Emails Reveal Jeffrey Epstein and former Trump strategist Relationship

Steve Bannon
Bannon served as the former president's key strategists before stepping down from the White House in August 2017

In November 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, visited the UK to deliver a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union.

The speech was interrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that night, told Jeffrey Epstein in an email: "Protesters slowed down speech I doubt I can make the flight we r enroute to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 9:50 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an excellent assistant".

These exchanges were published on Wednesday alongside more than 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's identity is redacted. The BBC has been able to confirm his identity by matching the dates, occurrences, and places mentioned.

For example, Epstein talks about chartering a jet from Scotland for the redacted user in the chat, and offers praise their "Oxford speech". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who faces no allegations of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.

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

Bannon served as Trump's closest aides in the run up to the presidential election and in the early days of his presidency, but resigned from the administration in August 2017.

He has acknowledged 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 stated: "We're going to publish the series, the five-part series, next year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's connection with Epstein extended than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier occasionally seeming to act like a personal assistant.

A short time prior to the conversation in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein remarked: "how does it feel to have the highest-paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon thanked him: "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 British political matters in 2018.

On the same day his address at the Oxford, Bannon messaged Epstein: "I became involved in the Brexit issue this morning with Nigel, Johnson and Mogg."

Then, in what appears to be a reference to Theresa May, the embattled UK prime minister at the period, he continued: "They are attempting to proceed. may soon…"

Epstein suggested Bannon: "In my view remaining as long as you can uk. Best-- so others see the dedication of your follow through."

Shortly after, Epstein asked: "Will Theresa May remain in power". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely however the people over here have little courage" and added "Johnson ; Michael Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

May was eventually toppled in May 2019 after surviving multiple attempts of no confidence in December 2018.

A spokesman for Reform UK told media: "Nigel Farage has not been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson." And there is no evidence that encounter occurred.

The Congress will vote next week on whether the justice department should release all its records related to its probe into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

Attention in Epstein's relationships with influential individuals was renewed this week after the release of over 20,000 documents from his estate.

Some of those referenced Trump, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they fell out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein was first arrested.

Vicki Gray
Vicki Gray

A technology strategist with over a decade of experience in digital transformation and startup consulting.