Trump says Epstein scandal is 'a different time,' WSJ reports
The Wall Street Journal reports the president told aides he did not understand why the Epstein case drew intense scrutiny, citing a Palm Beach-era context.
President Donald Trump reportedly told aides in July that he doesn’t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein scandal has become such a big deal, the Wall Street Journal reported. The article says Trump conceded that Palm Beach in the 1990s was 'a different time' and that people don’t grasp that context. The remarks were described as part of a broader conversation about Epstein that included how to minimize attention to the case.
According to the Journal, the next day Trump called friends and allies to ask why there was so much fixation on Epstein and whether there was a way to make it die down. The account notes that the FBI released documents related to the Epstein probe in late February, materials that were largely public at the time. Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was a longtime friend of Trump before a falling-out in 2006. The disclosure adds to the ongoing public examination of Epstein’s network and the handling of the case during and after his 2008 plea.
According to the Journal, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in Epstein-related documents. Trump has since referred to speculation about Epstein's crimes and his associates as a 'Democratic hoax'.
Epstein was a longtime friend of Trump before a falling-out in 2006, a dynamic that has repeatedly resurfaced in coverage. The former president has tied the Epstein files to his 2024 campaign platform, highlighting the release of federal records as a point of emphasis. The FBI’s February release of Epstein-related materials was largely public when it was made, and Trump’s allies have pointed to that as evidence that the matter is not new or unique to his presidency.
Separately, a political development in Arizona could compel the release of additional Epstein-related records. A House petition demanding that the Justice Department disclose documents related to Epstein could, if it gathers enough signatures, trigger a vote on the matter. The move underscores the enduring relevance of Epstein’s network in ongoing political and legal debates.
As the Epstein story remains a touchpoint in American politics, the latest disclosures and rebuttals continue to test the boundaries between public accountability and partisan narrative. Analysts say the episode highlights how past associations can become a recurring issue for high-profile political figures, especially when new documents surface and the public appetite for transparency persists.