Trump-Epstein connection casts shadow over election campaign

Jeffrey Epstein’s scandal continues to cast a shadow over powerful figures, particularly former President Donald Trump.

Interest in the connection between Trump and Epstein intensified last year when a judge ordered the unsealing of court documents related to a years-old case involving the disgraced financier. Epstein's infamous black book listed numerous high-profile individuals, but the primary question was what these documents would reveal about Trump.

The intrigue peaked on January 3, 2024, when Mark Epstein, Jeffrey's brother, made a startling revelation. According to Mark, three years before Jeffrey Epstein's death in jail while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, Jeffrey had confided in him about knowing secrets that could impact the presidential election between Trump and Hillary Clinton. Mark quoted his brother saying, “If I said what I know about both candidates, they’d have to cancel the election.”

Despite this bold claim, Mark Epstein admitted he was unaware of the specific information his brother referred to. Although Trump and Bill Clinton were mentioned in the documents released in early 2024, no definitive evidence of wrongdoing surfaced. Both men have consistently denied any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.

Trump's connection with Epstein dates back to the late 1980s. Footage from 1992, unearthed by NBC News in 2019, showed the two men at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, appearing to joke and ogle women. Trump later claimed they had a falling out years before Epstein's 2005 arrest in Palm Beach, where he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex. Due to a 2008 plea deal, Epstein served only 13 months in a work-release program despite numerous allegations of abuse from other underage girls.

The unsealed documents stem from Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s 2015 defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend. Giuffre is among the many women who have accused Epstein of abuse. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison term for trafficking women and girls for Epstein.

In a 2023 interview with Tucker Carlson, Trump expressed uncertainty about Epstein's death, suggesting it was “possible” Epstein had been killed but more likely he had committed suicide.

The final batch of documents from Giuffre’s lawsuit was released in January 2024, but more Epstein-related records may still be disclosed. On February 29, 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation allowing the release of grand-jury evidence and testimony from a 2006 investigation into Epstein's crimes. This law permits the public disclosure of grand-jury records under specific conditions.

During a June 2024 Fox & Friends interview, Trump was asked about declassifying federal files, including those related to Epstein. He initially agreed but later retracted his statement regarding the sex trafficker.