President Trump said on Monday that he “never had the privilege” of visiting Jeffrey Epstein’s private Caribbean island, explaining that he declined an invitation from the disgraced financier.
Speaking to reporters in Scotland, Trump said, “I never went to the island, and Bill Clinton went there supposedly.” He continued, “I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down.”
Trump’s comments marked his latest attempt to distance himself from renewed scrutiny surrounding his past relationship with Epstein, as well as criticism over his administration’s handling of files related to the late financier’s case. Epstein, who owned an island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, reportedly hosted high-profile figures from politics, business, and entertainment there. Prosecutors accused him of using the island to facilitate the sex trafficking and abuse of underage victims.
Socialized with Epstein
Although Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, he claimed he ended the friendship after Epstein tried to poach staff from him. “He hired help. And I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people that worked for me,” Trump said. “He did it again. And I threw him out of the place persona non grata.”
Last week, White House communications director Steven Cheung reiterated Trump’s position, saying the former president cut ties with Epstein because he considered him a “creep.”
Public Pressure
Meanwhile, public pressure has continued to mount on the White House to release more information about the Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein. Earlier this year, Attorney-General Pam Bondi promised to release additional materials tied to Epstein’s alleged clients and the circumstances surrounding his 2019 death in a New York jail.
However, in July, the Justice Department reversed course and issued a memo stating it found no evidence of a client list and no reason to continue the investigation. That announcement sparked backlash from Trump supporters, many of whom believe federal officials are covering up Epstein’s connections to wealthy and powerful elites.
Despite attempts to deflect the issue, Trump has struggled to shift public focus. On July 28, he again called the ongoing controversy “a hoax.”
“It’s a hoax that’s been built up way beyond proportion,” Trump said, claiming that Democrats had controlled the Epstein files for years and would have used any damaging information against him during the last presidential election if it existed.
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