Donald Trump was reportedly told several months ago that his name appeared more than once in the so-called “Epstein files,” according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The Trump administration has faced criticism for not releasing all the files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose associations with powerful individuals have sparked public interest.
Trump had previously promised Republican supporters he would ensure transparency regarding the files during his second presidential campaign.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI stated that there was no evidence of a rumored “Epstein client list” among the documents. Despite this, Trump shifted his stance last week by issuing a court order to unseal transcripts from Epstein’s 2007–08 case in Florida.
Epstein had been convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation, for which he served 13 months in j@il. In 2019, while awaiting trial for separate s3x trafficking charges, he di.ed by sui.cide in a New York prison.
On Wednesday, July 23, two judges rejected the motion to release the transcripts, citing legal prohibitions against doing so.
Trump allegedly told months ago that his name ‘appears in the Epstein files’
According to the WSJ report, senior officials in the Trump administration claimed that Trump’s name appeared “multiple times” in the files. However, being mentioned in the documents does not imply guilt, and Trump has not been accused of any misconduct related to Epstein.
The discovery reportedly came as Attorney General Pam Bondi reviewed a massive collection of documents. In February, Bondi remarked that Epstein’s “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now to review,” though she later clarified she was referring to a broader Epstein file rather than a specific list of clients.
Last week, Trump denied in an interview that his name appeared in the Epstein files.
Trump was ‘aware of the findings’
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told WSJ that the president had been briefed on the contents of the files.
“As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” they stated. Bondi also said that none of the material in the documents warranted further investigation.
Trump administration files lawsuit
In a separate development, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch, claiming the paper ran a defamatory story about a fabricated 50th birthday message allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein.
Trump called the article “false, malicious, and defamatory,” and is seeking at least $10 billion in damages.
How has the White House responded to WSJ’s latest Epstein claims?
Responding to the WSJ’s latest report, White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed it as false.
“This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by The Wall Street Journal,” he said, adding that it was “nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media.”
Trump and Epstein’s past connection
Trump and Epstein were known to move in the same social circles from the late 1980s until they reportedly fell out over a real estate dispute in 2004.
In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump called Epstein a “terrific guy.” However, following Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Trump distanced himself, stating, “I was not a fan of his.”
