A newly released batch of Jeffrey Epstein files contains repeated references to Donald Trump, including records detailing flights he took on Epstein’s private jet during the 1990s.
An internal email dated January 7, 2020, written by an unidentified New York prosecutor and included in the release, states that flight logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s aircraft eight times. At least four of those flights reportedly included Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.
The prosecutor’s email notes that on one flight, the only passengers were Trump, Epstein, and a 20-year-old woman whose name was redacted. On two other flights, female passengers later identified as potential witnesses in the Maxwell case were also aboard. The email does not accuse Trump of any criminal conduct.
In 2024, Trump publicly stated that he “was never on Epstein’s plane, or at his ‘stupid’ island.”
Following the release, the United States Department of Justice said some of the newly released materials contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” about Trump. The DOJ said the documents were submitted to the FBI after the 2020 election but did not elaborate.
“To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponised against President Trump already,” the department said in a public statement.
The Trump administration had previously opposed releasing Epstein-related records and has faced criticism after an earlier document dump included heavy redactions. The latest disclosure includes roughly 8,000 files, featuring video and audio recordings and about 30,000 pages of documents.
Some materials reportedly show the interior of the federal detention centre where Epstein died in 2019. His death was officially ruled a suicide, though public speculation has persisted.
Trump has dismissed the significance of the Epstein files, saying they are being used by political opponents to distract from what he described as the administration’s successes.
