Epstein's Close Monitoring of Trump Revealed in Document Dump
Approximately 20,000 pages of documents released by the House oversight committee have exposed the extent to which Jeffrey Epstein's staff kept the disgraced financier informed about Donald Trump's movements and air travel. The emails reveal a detailed tracking operation that continued even after the two men's friendship had deteriorated.
The document release comes as Trump faces ongoing political scrutiny over his past association with Epstein, who died while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. The timing is particularly sensitive given Trump's previous campaign promises to release Epstein-related documents through his justice department.
Flight Coordination and Airport Monitoring
Multiple email exchanges show Epstein's pilot, Larry Visoski, providing regular updates about Trump's flight schedules and airport activities. In one November 2016 communication just weeks after Trump's election victory, Visoski wrote: "Trump is still scheduled to depart Sunday between 4 and 6 pm. Let me know if we are firm for wheels up Saturday at 6pm still?" Epstein responded that he would confirm plans the following morning.
The coordination appeared largely logistical, with both men frequently using the same airports. In December 2016, Visoski provided detailed information about the president-elect's travel plans, noting that Palm Beach International Airport would shut down for 20 minutes before and after Trump's arrival.
Other emails showed broader surveillance of Trump's movements. On December 2, 2017, Epstein received a message stating: "Trump in our neighborhood today. Looks like he is going to 740 Park for a fundraiser." The message came from Richard Kahn, Epstein's accountant, though the sender's name was redacted in the released version.
Private Disparagement and News Monitoring
Despite the apparent coordination, private emails reveal Epstein held strongly negative views about Trump. In a December 2018 exchange with former treasury secretary Larry Summers, Epstein described Trump as "borderline insane" and made similar comments about attorney Alan Dershowitz.
When Summers asked if Trump would "crack into insanity," Epstein responded: "This is not a new phenomenon for him. In the past he was told not to come out of his apt. That's how he got through near personal bankruptcy." Epstein went further, expressing hope that "someone close to him gets indicted" to relieve pressure that might "force him to do crazy things."
Epstein's associates regularly forwarded news articles about Trump, including coverage of controversies involving Roger Stone's arrest and Michael Cohen's discussions with prosecutors. In March 2018, New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr sent Epstein a Daily Beast article speculating about a potential "psychiatric breakdown" for Trump.
Epstein's reply was scathing: "He feels alone, and is nuts!!! I told everyone from day one. Evil beyond belief mad, and most thought I was speaking metaphorically."
Broader Surveillance Patterns
Trump wasn't the only high-profile figure whose travels attracted Epstein's attention. The documents show that in September 2012, Epstein's assistant was informed that Vice-President Joe Biden was in West Palm Beach with scheduled departure times, along with details about airport closures and parking arrangements.
The email cache also includes previously unseen exchanges from 2011, 2015 and 2019 where Epstein described Trump as the "dog that hasn't barked" and made allegations about Trump spending "hours" at his home with one of his victims.
White House representatives have dismissed the significance of the emails. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated: "These emails prove literally nothing," while press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of "selectively leaking emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative."
In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Democrats of reviving the "Jeffrey Epstein Hoax" to deflect from other political issues, maintaining his long-standing position that he had expelled Epstein from his club decades earlier for inappropriate behaviour toward female employees.
