WASHINGTON — New emails released by House Democrats suggest that Jeffrey Epstein once claimed former President Donald Trump knew more about his abuse of underage girls than he’s admitted — an allegation the president strongly denies.
The messages, turned over to Congress as part of an ongoing investigation into Epstein’s network, include one in which Epstein wrote that Mr. Trump had “spent hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims. In another, he alleged that Trump “knew about the girls.”
Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he had no involvement in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes and has called the late financier a “creep.” He has said he cut ties with Epstein years before the criminal case that led to Epstein’s 2019 death in federal custody.
💬 What the Emails Reveal
The House Oversight Committee released three of thousands of documents obtained through subpoenas. Democrats said the emails raise new questions about the relationship between Epstein and Trump.
One 2011 message to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, read:
“I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is Trump. [The victim] spent hours at my house with him, and he has never once been mentioned.”
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein recruit and abuse girls, replied: “I have been thinking about that.”
Another message from 2019, sent to author Michael Wolff, said, “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”
Democrats said a whistleblower told them Maxwell had considered asking Trump to commute her sentence.
🏛️ Political Fallout on Capitol Hill
Republicans quickly accused Democrats of politicizing the case.
“The Democrats continue to cherry-pick documents to create clickbait that isn’t grounded in the facts,” a GOP Oversight Committee spokesperson said.
They also revealed that the unnamed victim mentioned in Epstein’s emails was Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. Giuffre had long said she was abused by Epstein and Maxwell — but she never accused Trump of misconduct.
In a 2016 deposition, Giuffre said:
“I never saw Donald Trump participate in those acts. Was he in Epstein’s house? I’ve heard he has been, but I haven’t seen him myself.”
🗣️ White House Response
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the emails as a political stunt, noting that Giuffre herself denied seeing Trump engage in wrongdoing.
“President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre,” Leavitt said. “These are bad-faith attempts to smear the president.”
⚖️ The Bigger Fight Over the Epstein Files
The emails come as Congress pushes the Trump administration to release all Epstein-related investigation materials.
Speaker Mike Johnson, who had resisted holding a vote on the matter, said this week he would allow one after bipartisan pressure grew. Some lawmakers believe the White House is withholding key documents about Epstein’s political ties.
“These latest emails raise glaring questions about what else the White House is hiding,” said Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the committee’s top Democrat.
The Justice Department has provided only limited records so far, frustrating members of both parties.
🕵️ Inside the Timeline
The three email exchanges released Wednesday were all sent after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal in Florida, when he admitted to soliciting prostitution but avoided federal prosecution.
By then, Epstein and Trump’s friendship had reportedly ended. They were known to socialize in the late 1990s and early 2000s around Palm Beach and New York. Trump later claimed he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after inappropriate behavior toward female staff.
In one of the released 2015 emails, Wolff warned Epstein that CNN might ask Trump about their relationship during a GOP primary debate. Epstein replied, “If we were able to craft an answer for him, what do you think it should be?”
Wolff suggested doing nothing:
“Let him deny it. If he lies, that gives you leverage — you can use it to hang him or save him later.”
🔍 What’s Next
The renewed focus on Epstein’s ties to powerful figures — including Trump — is expected to dominate headlines again as Congress votes on whether to force the release of all remaining investigative files.
Epstein’s name, and his long shadow over American politics, shows no signs of fading soon.
