Trump says he cut ties with Epstein after the sex offender recruited Virginia Giuffre—then a teen working at Mar-a-Lago—for his personal circle. Yahoo!
On Tuesday, Donald Trump shared new details about his past with Jeffrey Epstein. While returning from Scotland on Air Force One, Trump told reporters that Epstein had taken several young staff members from his Mar-a-Lago club. He claimed that this was one of the main reasons he ended his friendship with Epstein.
Earlier this week, Trump said he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago because of “inappropriate behavior.” He added that Epstein “stole people” who worked for him. His recent comments now suggest that some of those people were young women working at the club's spa.
Giuffre named in conversation with reporters
Reporters asked Trump if any of the staff Epstein took were young women. He answered, “Yes, they were. People that worked in the spa.”
A reporter then asked about Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most well-known accusers. She had said in a lawsuit that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s close aide, hired her from Mar-a-Lago in 2000 when she was just 16. Giuffre also said she was later abused by Epstein and Maxwell, and then sent to other powerful men, including Prince Andrew.
When asked directly about Giuffre, Trump said, “I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people, yeah. He stole her. And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know. None whatsoever.”
A timeline that raises more questions
Trump’s recent claims raise questions about the timeline of events. Giuffre said she was hired in 2000. But Trump spoke well of Epstein two years later, in 2002. He told a magazine at the time, “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy… He likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Epstein continued to be listed as a Mar-a-Lago member until 2007. That was more than a year after he was first arrested for trying to pay a minor for sex.
Maxwell wants to testify before Congress
Ghislaine Maxwell is now serving a 20-year prison sentence. She was convicted of helping Epstein sexually traffic underage girls. Her lawyers recently told Congress she is willing to testify—but only if she gets legal immunity and other special conditions.
Trump administration tries to shift focus
These comments from Trump come as his team tries to move public attention away from Epstein. The topic remains sensitive and upsetting for many of Trump’s supporters. His remarks about Giuffre also make the situation more complex, especially since he continued to praise Epstein after the alleged hiring of the 16-year-old girl.
