‘I will give you a list’: Trump responds as Epstein scrutiny intensifies
Before leaving for Scotland on Friday morning, President Donald Trump was questioned about the investigation into convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein.
President Trump diverted reporters’ attention when they inquired about Epstein and his longtime partner Ghislaine Maxwell.
“You ought to concentrate on a few of the hedge fund managers. He said, “I’ll give you a list.” Jeffrey Epstein shared a home with these men. I most definitely didn’t.
After the FBI and Department of Justice issued a statement claiming that an investigation of the case had turned up no incriminating client list, the Trump administration came under increasing scrutiny for its lack of transparency on the so-called Epstein files. Many of President Trump’s most ardent followers, who had anticipated accountability under his administration, were let down by the memo.
Several media sources have revisited President Trump’s documented ties with Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, amid the outrage.
According to The Wall Street Journal, President Trump wrote Epstein a pornographic birthday note prior to their alleged falling out in the early 2000s. Trump sued the Journal for defamation and denied sending the letter.
President Trump said, “I never went to the island,” a reference to the private island where Epstein was accused of sexually assaulting minors, in an attempt to further distance himself from the man on Friday.
Meanwhile, in what appears to be an attempt to learn more about Epstein and his network, the Department of Justice visited with Maxwell for the second day in a row. The first day of meetings went smoothly, according to Maxwell’s lawyer, who said his client honestly responded to all of the DOJ’s inquiries.
What might emerge from the interviews is still unknown. Maxwell is currently serving more than 20 years in jail on sex trafficking charges. When asked if he would consider pardoning or reducing her sentence, President Trump stated that he had not given it any thought.
“I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I haven’t thought about,” he replied.
The president said he was not focused on the idea in an interview with reporters following his arrival in Scotland on Friday afternoon.
“This is no time to be talking about pardons,” he stated.
