WASHINGTON (AP) — On Monday, President Donald Trump opened up about severing his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier now infamous for his legal troubles. It turns out the breakup was more than a casual fallout; Trump cut Epstein off after feeling betrayed on several occasions due to Epstein hiring people who had previously worked for him.
While Trump did keep mum on the specifics regarding his employees and their jobs, the White House wasn’t forthcoming with further details either. However, last week, White House communications director Steven Cheung had hinted at a simpler reason for their split, emphasizing, “The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep.”
Epstein died in his jail cell back in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, a case that raised a dumber of conspiracy theories, many fueled by Trump and his allies before he entered the White House. Now, they find themselves grappling with the fallout after the Justice Department confirmed Epstein’s death was indeed a suicide, publicly stating they won’t release more records associated with the case.
During a press meeting at his golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland, where he conversed with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump was asked about his former friendship. Trump brushed off the question, stating, “That’s such old history, very easy to explain, but I don’t want to waste your time.” But he soon provided some insight, recalling, “He did something that was inappropriate. He hired help and I told him, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people who worked for me. So I told him, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He did it again, and ended up being thrown out.”
“I kicked him out and that was the end of it. If you want to know the truth, I’m glad I did,” Trump added.
In another development, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the public collection of sealed grand jury transcripts related to Epstein’s case. While one federal judge denied this request, the fate of a pending motion from another judge remains unclear.
Vice President JD Vance, on a Monday tour in Ohio, took time to address the ongoing Epstein situation while simultaneously discussing Trump’s anticipated tax cuts. Responding to a query about transparency regarding the case, he asserted, “The president is clear—we’re not hiding anything. He’s asked the attorney general to publicly release all credible information and to actively seek more about the Jeffrey Epstein case.”
Vance acknowledged the complexities of gathering this information, reiterating, “Some of that stuff takes time,” but assured reporters that Trump seeks full openness.
Looking back at their past, Trump acknowledged in 2019 that Epstein was a common presence in Palm Beach, but claimed their relationship had soured long before that. He mentioned that he hadn’t spoken to Epstein for the last fifteen years.
Recently, Trump denied claims he contributed a birthday tribute to Epstein, which had surfaced in a Wall Street Journal article. This tribute allegedly contained drawings he reportedly made. Trump dismissed the rumors, saying, “I’m not a drawing person. I don’t do drawings of women, that I can assure you.”
In addition, Trump stated he declined an invitation to visit Epstein’s private island, claiming, “I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down. A lot of people were invited from Palm Beach, but at that moment, I made the smart choice to decline.”
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Report contributed by Julie Carr Smyth from the Associated Press in Canton, Ohio.
