WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump on Monday publicly denied ever stepping foot on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, distancing himself from the disgraced financier as questions over Epstein’s network of high-profile connections continue to intensify.
Speaking during a joint press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on July 28, Trump told reporters he was invited to Little Saint James, the island where Epstein is accused of committing many of his crimes, but claimed he declined the offer.
“I never had the privilege of going to his island,” said Trump, 79. “And I did turn it down. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn’t want to go to his island.”
The president, who once counted Epstein among his Palm Beach acquaintances, offered little detail about the breakdown in their relationship. However, he did imply that Epstein crossed a line by interfering with his staff. “He stole people that worked for me,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He did it again, and I threw him out of the place. Persona non grata.”
Trump’s comments arrive amid mounting pressure on his administration to be more transparent about the handling of Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case. Questions persist over what names appear in Epstein’s extensive records and how evidence has been managed.
Last week, Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s longtime associate who was convicted in 2021 on child sex trafficking charges — reportedly met with a senior Justice Department official in a bid to overturn her conviction. Maxwell allegedly provided the names of approximately 100 individuals with possible links to Epstein, further fueling public speculation.
Just days earlier, The Wall Street Journal published a report alleging that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump that his name repeatedly appeared in Epstein-related materials and assured him that the DOJ would withhold additional releases. When asked whether Bondi had ever informed him of his name being linked to Epstein’s files, Trump denied it.
In response to the WSJ report, White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the claims as “another fake news story,” echoing Trump’s repeated attacks on media coverage of the case.
Trump is currently suing The Wall Street Journal for $20 billion, following an earlier report that alleged he once sent Epstein a birthday card containing a crude sketch and cryptic message — an allegation the White House denies.
The president, who has pledged on the campaign trail to declassify more Epstein-related evidence, has framed his position as one of accountability and transparency — though critics have accused his administration of selective disclosure.
