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

The event was disrupted by hundreds of demonstrators, and Bannon, who was due to travel that evening, told Jeffrey Epstein in an message: "Activists delayed speech I doubt I can catch the flight we are heading to the airport".

Epstein responded: "There. Is a gulf air departing at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "You are an amazing assistant".

These exchanges were released on this week alongside over 20,000 documents from the records of Epstein, the deceased financier convicted of sex crimes.

The release by the House oversight committee contains an iMessage chat where Bannon's name is withheld. The BBC has been able to confirm his identity by cross-referencing the timeline, occurrences, and locations mentioned.

For instance, Epstein discusses chartering a plane from Scotland for the unnamed individual in the chat, and offers praise their "address at Oxford". Bannon participated in the News Xchange conference on November 14, and gave the talk at the Oxford Union on November 16.

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

Epstein's Assurance to Bannon

Bannon was one of the president's key aides 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 admitted he was making a documentary about Epstein before his death and allegedly has approximately 15 hours of footage. In a recording of his show recently, he said: "We plan to release the series, the five-part series, in the coming year - at the start of next year."

But the newly released materials suggest Bannon's relationship with Epstein went further than being his biographer, with the disgraced financier at times seeming to act like a aide.

A few days before the exchange in which Epstein seemed to arranged a charter jet for Bannon, Epstein said: "how does it feel to have the most highly paid booking agent in the world ".

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

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

UK Politics Mentioned in Exchanges

The published messages also show Bannon and Epstein discussing UK politics in 2018.

On the same day his address at the Oxford, 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 Theresa May, the struggling UK prime minister at the time, he continued: "They are attempting to proceed. may today / tomorrow…"

Epstein advised Bannon: "I think remaining as long as you can in the UK. Ideal- so others see the dedication of your follow-up."

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

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

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

The US House of Representatives will decide next week on whether the justice department should make public all its files related to its probe into Epstein, who died in jail in that year.

Interest in Epstein's associations with powerful figures was reignited this week after the release of over 20,000 pages from his archives.

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