Steve Bannon’s Role in Brexit: Leaked Chats Reveal Coordination with Johnson and Farage

Leaked chat messages between former White House strategist Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reveal Bannon’s active involvement in the Brexit crisis of 2018, including efforts to orchestrate the downfall of then-Prime Minister Theresa May in close coordination with Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. The revelations, reported by Byline Times, suggest a broader transatlantic right-wing network influencing British politics.

Bannon’s Direct Involvement in Ousting Theresa May

In July 2018, during the height of the Brexit crisis, Bannon messaged Epstein from London stating, “We are overthrowing May right now.” He indicated he was working directly with Boris Johnson on strategies to force May from office, citing her “Checkers Plan” – a softer Brexit approach – as a betrayal of hardline Brexit supporters. Johnson had recently resigned as Foreign Secretary in protest of the plan.

Bannon later claimed, in unreleased footage from a documentary, that he spent an entire weekend collaborating with Johnson on his resignation speech. “I talked to him about this speech all weekend. We went over the text over and over again,” he stated. Johnson publicly denied any collaboration, with a spokesperson calling the allegations “completely absurd” at the time. His team did not respond to recent inquiries from Byline Times .

A Hub for European Right-Wing Politics

In 2018, Bannon established a temporary base in a Mayfair hotel, hosting meetings with conservative politicians and representatives from European right-wing parties. His connections with Johnson reportedly date back to immediately after Donald Trump’s election victory in 2016. Bannon recalled Johnson flying to the U.S. Shortly after the election, noting the surprise felt by many at Trump’s win.

Johnson even invited Bannon’s political firm to meetings at the British Foreign Office, with details classified for “national security” reasons. Reports suggest Johnson was aware of Bannon’s ties to the European far-right, but this did not deter him.

Coordination with Farage and Rees-Mogg

The chat messages reveal Bannon’s active interference in internal British power struggles. In November 2018, as Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence against May, Bannon wrote, “I got dragged into the Brexit thing this morning with Nigel, Boris and Rees-Mogg.” He described the situation as a “hot mess” and openly speculated about potential replacements for May, including Johnson and Michael Gove.

Around the same time, photos surfaced of an intimate meeting between Johnson and Farage, fueling speculation about a joint hard Brexit alliance.

Epstein’s Role in the Network

Epstein’s involvement extends beyond being a recipient of Bannon’s messages. He appears to have been part of a network including diplomats, investors, and journalists. A Norwegian diplomat was informed that Bannon’s travel was delayed due to a request from Boris Johnson. Journalist Michael Wolff even offered his services to Epstein as an intermediary to Johnson.

The Aftermath and Broader Implications

In December 2018, Bannon wrote, “May fights… I’ll get Boris across the finish line.” Seven months later, May resigned, and Johnson became Prime Minister. The communications suggest Brexit was not viewed as an isolated event but as part of a larger global political shift. Following the 2016 referendum, Epstein wrote to a confidant that Brexit was “just the beginning… a return to tribalism, against globalization, modern amazing alliances.” The newly published documents illustrate the extent of these alliances, spanning from Washington to London and encompassing European right-wing networks.

Steve Bannon’s Background

Stephen Kevin Bannon (born November 27, 1953) is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. He served as White House Chief Strategist for the first seven months of President Donald Trump’s administration before being fired . He was also the executive chairman of Breitbart News. In February 2025, Bannon was convicted of scheme to defraud in the first degree and previously convicted of contempt of Congress in July 2022, serving four months in prison in 2024 .