Fresh allegations and testimonies have surfaced detailing the close, long-standing friendship between former US President Donald Trump and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations emerge as the US Department of Justice faces a legal deadline to release potentially tens of thousands of documents related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Victims and Employees Shed New Light on Relationship
According to extensive new reporting, which includes interviews with more than 30 former Epstein employees and women identifying as victims, the bond between the two men was forged in the high-society party scenes of the 1980s and 1990s. At least six women who were groomed or abused by Epstein or Maxwell were introduced to Trump, court documents and testimony indicate. One was a minor at the time of the introductions, though none have accused Trump of direct wrongdoing.
One previously silent woman told investigators that Epstein coerced her into attending four parties at his residence, with Trump present at each. She alleges Epstein instructed her to have sex with other male guests at two of these gatherings.
Former Sports Illustrated model Stacey Williams, who dated Epstein in the 1990s, alleged that Trump groped her at Trump Tower while Epstein watched, an account Trump has denied. "I just think it was trophy hunting," Williams stated, suggesting Epstein enjoyed the prestige of Trump pursuing her.
"Wingmen" and Disturbing Allegations
Former assistants to Epstein described the pair acting as "wingmen" in Manhattan and Palm Beach, with their friendship extending to frequent, graphic phone calls. One assistant recalled Trump being placed on speakerphone while he detailed his sexual exploits, which she believes Epstein enjoyed her overhearing. During one call in the 1990s, the men allegedly discussed a woman's pubic hair in crude terms.
Other records suggest Trump would occasionally send modelling cards to Epstein for him to peruse. In a 2019 email released by Congress, Epstein wrote of Trump that "of course he knew about the girls," though the full context remains unclear.
A woman identified in court records as Jane Doe alleged Epstein took her to Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in 1994 when she was 14. She later testified that she competed in Trump's Miss Teen USA pageant. "This is a good one, right?" Epstein reportedly said to Trump during that visit, according to her federal complaint.
Political Fallout and Impending Document Dump
The White House has vehemently dismissed the new reports. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labelled the story "fake news" and a "stale regurgitation of decades-old false allegations," asserting that Trump "did nothing wrong" and had ejected Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for inappropriate behaviour.
This renewed scrutiny coincides with intense political pressure to release all government files on Epstein. Last month, Trump signed a measure compelling the Justice Department to disclose its investigative files. This followed a July determination by the DOJ that "no further disclosure" was warranted, a move that only amplified demands from Trump's base and Republican allies.
The deadline for production, set for a Friday in late December 2025, could see the release of a massive trove of documents, a promise that dominated Trump's campaign for a second term. The potential revelations within these files are expected to keep the long-running Epstein scandal firmly in the political spotlight for the foreseeable future.
