Trump has denied any links to Jeffrey Epstein, saying he has “nothing to hide” and was “totally exonerated,” as renewed scrutiny follows the release of fresh investigation records.
US President Donald Trump has again denied any links to Jeffrey Epstein, saying he has “nothing to hide” and has been “totally exonerated” as renewed scrutiny surrounds recently released Epstein-related records.
Speaking to reporters during a press interaction aboard Air Force One, Trump reiterated that he had no involvement with Epstein and said the latest disclosures contradicted allegations against him. The US Department of Justice last month released a fresh cache of documents, photographs and videos linked to its investigation into Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 in what authorities ruled a suicide. The department has said no further files will be made public, though lawmakers have criticised it for not releasing internal memos, notes and emails tied to the case.
Public attention has also returned to Trump’s past social connections with Epstein. In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump said he had known Epstein for about 15 years, suggesting they first met in the late 1980s. Photographs and footage from the early 1990s show the two together at several social events, including Trump’s 1993 wedding to Marla Maples and public gatherings in New York. Images later published by the Palm Beach Post showed Trump and Epstein alongside Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew at a charity event at Mar-a-Lago in 2000. In the same 2002 interview, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy”.
Amid the renewed attention, Trump has urged Americans to move on from the controversy, saying the released material reflects what he described as an effort directed against him and calling for focus to shift to policy issues such as healthcare. He also framed the issue in political terms, seeking to deflect attention towards Democratic figures.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accused Trump of overseeing a “cover-up” related to the Epstein files in remarks to the BBC. She called for the full public release of all documents and said she would testify before a Congressional committee examining the matter. Although her husband, Bill Clinton, is mentioned in the records, no evidence has emerged indicating criminal wrongdoing by either of them.
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