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In late 2018, Steve Bannon, previously Donald Trump's chief strategist, was in the UK preparing for a address at the Oxford Union.

The speech was disrupted by hundreds of protesters, and Bannon, scheduled to travel that night, informed Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Protesters delayed speech don't think I can catch the plane we are heading to the airport".

Epstein replied: "There. Is a Gulf Air that leaves at 950 with a layover in Bahrain". Bannon answered: "U r an excellent assistant".

These messages were released on this week alongside over 20,000 pages from the estate of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an text conversation where Bannon's identity is redacted. Media outlets managed to confirm his identity by matching the timeline, events, and locations referenced.

For example, Epstein discusses chartering a jet from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the Edinburgh conference on 14 November, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union two days later.

Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, declined to comment on the request for comment.

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

Bannon served as the president's key aides in the lead-up to the 2016 election and in the early days of his presidency, but stepped down from the White House in August 2017.

He has acknowledged he was producing a documentary about Epstein prior to his death and reportedly has approximately 15 hours of recordings. In a live taping of his show earlier this year, he said: "We're going to release the series, the multi-part documentary, next year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released documents suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein extended than documenting his life, 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 private plane for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid travel agent in the world ".

Bannon expressed gratitude: "U r quite capable asst", to which Epstein responded "Massages. Excluded".

Discussing a trip to "Abu Dhabi" in a separate text, Epstein assured Bannon: "I will ensure you're well looked after."

UK Politics Discussed in Exchanges

The published messages also reveal Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in that year.

On the same day his speech at the Oxford Union, Bannon texted Epstein: "I've gotten pulled into the Brexit thing this morning with Farage, Boris and Rees Mogg."

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

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think staying as much as you can in the UK. Ideal- so people get the dedication of your follow-up."

Soon after, Epstein inquired: "Can Theresa may survive". Bannon replied: "It seems unlikely BUT the people over here have little courage" and noted "Johnson ; Gove; Jacob Rees-Mogg; David Davis - someone has to step up".

Theresa May was eventually toppled in 2019 after withstanding multiple attempts of lack of support in late 2018.

A representative for Reform UK told the BBC: "Nigel Farage has never been in a meeting with Steve Bannon, Jacob 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 files concerning its investigation into Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited recently after the release of more than 20,000 pages from his archives.

A portion of those referenced the former president, who has consistently denied any impropriety. The leader was a friend of Epstein's for years, but claims they parted ways in the 2000s, two years before Epstein was initially charged.