In May 2025, the Department of Justice revealed new documents linking Jeffrey Epstein and Trump, current US president, in various secret files. The DOJ said these mentions were unconfirmed, not linked to any crime, and mostly rumors. But this news caused a big controversy right away. Things got worse when a letter leaked soon after. The letter, said to be from Donald to Epstein in 2003, had a crude drawing of a naked woman. According to The Wall Street Journal, the letter wished Epstein a happy birthday and ended with: “And may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump said the letter was fake and denied any connection. He then sued The Wall Street Journal, News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch for billions of dollars. His lawyers said the letter was made up and Trump never saw it before it was published. But the damage was done: the case was back in the news, and Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were once again linked in a scandal many wanted to forget..
From Palm Beach Parties to Criminal Prosecutions
Jeffrey Epstein’s rise began in shadows and silence. A college dropout, he secured a job at Bear Stearns and then managed to build a fortune by advising billionaires, including the powerful Wexner family. Over the years, Epstein acquired a network of political and cultural elites, from academics and royalty to heads of state and celebrities. Among them were Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Donald Trump.
But behind his glamorous image was a darker reality. Federal investigators say he ran a sex-trafficking ring, targeting underage girls and exploiting them for himself and his powerful associates.
By the early 2000s, Epstein was hosting gatherings at his homes in Manhattan, Palm Beach, and the Virgin Islands. These were not simply parties; many of them, according to court testimony and FBI investigations, served as settings for the recruitment and abuse of underage girls. Girls as young as 14 were allegedly brought to his properties under the pretense of massages or modeling gigs, only to be coerced into sex acts with Epstein or his powerful friends.
Authorities first began looking into Epstein in 2005, when the parents of a 14 year old girl told police she had been assaulted by him at his Palm Beach home. Over the next three years, more women came forward with similar stories.
In 2008, Epstein struck a highly unusual plea deal with prosecutors led by then, U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta. Instead of facing serious federal charges, Epstein pleaded guilty to lesser state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor. He served just 13 months in a county jail, where he was allowed to leave for “work release” six days a week. The deal also granted immunity to many of his alleged accomplices.
The Case Reopens
In 2018, the Miami Herald published a major investigative series called Perversion of Justice, which laid out in detail how Epstein had avoided serious punishment. The public backlash was huge, and federal prosecutors in New York reopened the case.
On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested and charged with sex trafficking of minors. Prosecutors said he had abused dozens of girls, some as young as 14, over many years.
Just over a month later, on August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. The official ruling was suicide by hanging.But the circumstances were strange: security cameras outside his cell weren’t working, and the guards on duty admitted they had fallen asleep. These details quickly fueled public suspicion that his death wasn’t as simple as it seemed. Conspiracy theories exploded, with “Epstein didn’t kill himself” becoming a rallying cry online.
After Epstein’s death, attention turned to Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and longtime associate of his. Prosecutors accused her of helping recruit and groom underage girls for Epstein’s abuse. She was arrested in 2020 and convicted in 2021 on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy. She is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Donald Trump’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein
Many have questioned the nature of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship, given their shared social circles.
Trump and Jeffrey Epstein first met in the late 1980s. For years, the two moved in the same Palm Beach and New York social circles, attending parties and charity events together.
In 2002, Trump spoke to New York Magazine for a profile on Epstein, saying:
“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
At the time, Epstein’s crimes were not public knowledge, and Trump’s comments drew little attention. But after Epstein’s arrest in 2019, the quote resurfaced and became one of the most widely shared links between the two men.
By 2004, their friendship reportedly ended after a disagreement over a Florida property. Trump has said he banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club and denied having contact with him since then. No public evidence links Trump to Epstein’s illegal activities.
Still, Trump’s name keeps coming up in the story.
Trump’s 2024 Campaign and the Epstein Documents
During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to release all Epstein-related documents if he returned to the White House. He repeated the pledge in interviews, saying he saw “no problem” making the files public.
But after being briefed on the contents in 2025, his administration changed course. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the files would stay sealed, citing privacy protections for victims and the fact that much of the information was hearsay. This move sparked outrage among some of Trump’s own supporters, including high-profile conservatives and online influencers, who accused him of breaking a core campaign promise.
The backlash was so strong that it caused visible divisions inside the MAGA movement. Trump dismissed the criticism, telling his followers to stop “wasting time” on the Epstein case.
Adding fuel to the fire, The Wall Street Journal published what it claimed was a 2003 birthday letter Trump. He flatly denied writing it, calling it fake. He sued the Journal, its parent company, and Rupert Murdoch for billions in damages. His legal team argued that the letter had never been authenticated and should never have been published without proof.
Even years after Jeffrey Epstein’s death, many questions remain unanswered. Important information is still kept secret, and key witnesses like Ghislaine Maxwell have yet to share everything they know.
