A fresh release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case contains multiple references to former US President Donald Trump, including a claim he was a passenger on the late financier's private jet on several occasions in the 1990s.
Flight Log Details Emerge
The latest batch of files from the US Department of Justice includes an email sent by a senior federal attorney in January 2020. The communication, with the subject line "Epstein flight records", states that Donald Trump travelled on Epstein's private jet on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996.
According to the email, on four of those journeys, Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also listed as a passenger. The records reportedly show Trump travelled at various times with his then-wife Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric.
Specific Flight Incidents Highlighted
The disclosed information points to several specific flights detailed in the records:
- One flight in 1993 where Trump and Epstein were the only two listed passengers.
- Another where the only three passengers were Epstein, Trump, and a then-20-year-old woman, whose name was redacted.
- On two other flights, passengers included women who would have been potential witnesses in a case against Maxwell.
The documents stress there is no indication of whether the unnamed woman was a victim of any crime, and inclusion in the files does not imply criminal wrongdoing.
Political Context and Backlash
The document release follows a pledge by Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign to make Epstein-related files public. However, his administration later faced a bipartisan backlash after the Justice Department announced it would not release the files, stating it had found "no incriminating client list".
This contradiction reignited scrutiny of the long-standing association between Trump and Epstein. The two men were known to be friendly for at least 15 years before a reported falling out in 2004. Trump has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in Epstein's criminal activities.
The files also contain numerous references to Britain's Prince Andrew, formally known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The latest disclosures form part of an ongoing series of releases concerning the investigations into the billionaire sex offender and his network.
