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A newly released set of files from the US government, pertaining to the infamous late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, includes numerous references to Donald Trump, such as documents detailing flights he took on Epstein’s private jet when they were close associates. The Justice Department quickly issued a statement defending the 79-year-old former president, asserting that some of these documents contain false and sensational claims made against Trump just before the 2020 election. They emphasized that if there was any credibility to the allegations, they would have been used against him already.
Epstein maintained connections with many influential figures, including Trump, and was accused of operating an underage sex trafficking ring before his death in jail in 2019. Trump, who has not been accused of any misconduct, fought for months to stop the release of the trove of investigation documents. Internal conflicts within the Republican Party ultimately compelled him to sign legislation requiring that all the files be made public, reflecting political pressure and longstanding suspicions of a cover-up.
The first batch of documents was released last Friday, notably criticized for slow release and the absence of any references to Trump. The latest release includes 8,000 files, featuring hundreds of videos and audio recordings, such as surveillance footage from August 2019—the month Epstein was found dead in his cell, officially declared a suicide.
Despite Trump’s repeated denials of close ties to Epstein, substantial evidence suggests otherwise. Recent documents feature a January 2020 memo from New York federal prosecutors investigating Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, which detailed Trump’s frequent travels on Epstein’s private jet. The memo states, “Records received yesterday show Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet far more times than previously reported or known.” Some references in the documents are unverifiable and do not imply criminal activity. One example is a handwritten letter attributed to Epstein, written from jail to Larry Nassar—the former US gymnastics doctor convicted of abusing female athletes—which supposedly contains Epstein’s scornful remarks about the president sharing their penchant for young girls.
Trump reiterated on Monday that he disapproved of the document releases, claiming they could unjustly tarnish innocent people, asserting, “Everyone was friendly with this guy.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained that delays in releasing the files are due to the need to redact the identities of Epstein’s over 1,000 victims from hundreds of thousands of documents and images. Over the weekend, bill co-sponsors Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) threatened to pursue contempt-of-Congress charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi for failing to comply with the release mandate.
The recently published documents contain images of prominent figures, including former President Bill Clinton, musician Mick Jagger, and Michael Jackson, all part of Epstein’s social circle. Clinton publicly requested that the Justice Department release any material related to him, asserting he has nothing to hide. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate and former girlfriend, remains the only individual convicted in connection with Epstein’s crimes.
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