Were sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and US President Donald Trump ‘best friends’? As claims and counterclaims have emerged over the years, the US Department of Justice released thousands of files on Friday, December 18 – as part of the “Epstein Files”.
The documents, which have been heavily redacted, have so far revealed shocking photos of Epstein with several top political leaders, well-known celebrities and corporate tycoons. Among those that have gone viral is a photo of former President Bill Clinton relaxing in a hot tub.
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But is there any mention of US President Trump in the files released by the Justice Department on Friday? If yes, how many times?
A simple search for “Trump” on “The Complete Epstein Library” showed 625 results on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
Meanwhile, a preliminary New York Times analysis revealed that Trump’s name was rarely mentioned in a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files recently released by his Justice Department.
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According to Bloomberg, the release included at least one photo of Trump and first lady Melania Trump with Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, though an initial review of the files revealed relatively few references to the current president.
In addition, written references to Trump appeared in Epstein’s address book and flight logs, as well as in a message book in which Epstein’s aides let him know about missed phone calls. Versions of those documents were already public, the New York Times reported.
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Trump’s name also appeared in interviews with Maxwell, transcripts of which the Justice Department previously released and re-released on Friday.
In a 2016 deposition, Alan Dershowitz, who served as one of Epstein’s criminal defense attorneys, said he saw Trump at Epstein’s home. He did not provide details.
Images in the collection feature other celebrities and business leaders including Richard Branson, Kevin Spacey and Bill Gates. The tranche features a Bank of America statement for private equity titan Leon Black and his wife Debra.
Trump and Epstein
Trump, 79, was once a friend of Epstein but says he cut ties with him about two decades ago and was unaware of his sex offenses.
As a candidate, Trump pledged to release files related to Epstein.
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In February, the Justice Department released the first tranche of documents that were already largely public.
The additional disclosures and extensive redactions this time pose risks for Trump, who could continue to battle questions about his involvement with Epstein as the calendar turns to 2026 and the election looms.
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
Jeffrey Epstein was a fabulously wealthy man when he took his own life in 2019. According to a Forbes report, he owned several lavish homes, two private islands and millions of dollars in cash.
Jeffrey Epstein’s net worth was estimated at $578 million at the time of his death, according to his estate cited by Forbes. It also includes $380 million in cash and investments, among other assets.
Epstein excelled in math and graduated school ahead of his peers, briefly attending Cooper Union and New York University, according to media reports over the years as well as court filings.
