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DOJ releases flight records linking Trump to Epstein's jet
Newly disclosed U.S. Department of Justice documents reveal former President Donald Trump was listed as a passenger on Jeffrey Epstein's private jet at least eight times between 1993 and 1996, according to an internal email from 2020.
Email details multiple flights with Epstein and associates
The January 7, 2020, email, sent by an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, states Trump traveled on Epstein's jet on several occasions, including flights where Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also present. The email notes Trump was accompanied by family members, including his then-wife Marla Maples, daughter Tiffany, and son Eric, on different trips.
One flight in 1993 listed only Trump and Epstein as passengers, while another included a then-20-year-old woman whose name was redacted. Two additional flights included women described as potential witnesses in Maxwell's later criminal case.
Trump denies wrongdoing, DOJ calls claims unfounded
In a 2024 statement, Trump denied ever being on Epstein's plane, writing, "I was never on Epstein's Plane." He has consistently denied any misconduct related to Epstein. The DOJ, in a statement released Tuesday, described some of the newly disclosed documents as containing "untrue and sensationalist claims" against Trump, emphasizing that such allegations lack credibility and were not used against him in legal proceedings.
"Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false."
U.S. Department of Justice
Flight logs and redactions raise questions
A handwritten flight log released by the DOJ in February includes an entry for August 13, 1995, showing Trump and his son Eric traveling from Palm Beach International Airport to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The log also lists initials believed to correspond to Epstein and Maxwell. However, many entries in the log are difficult to read, and the DOJ has not provided further details about the flights.
The email does not specify whether Trump was aware of Epstein's criminal activities at the time of the flights. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for her role in Epstein's crimes, which occurred between 1994 and 2004.
DOJ faces criticism over delayed document release
The latest batch of documents, totaling over 30,000 pages, is part of the so-called "Epstein files" that the DOJ was legally required to release by last Friday. The department missed the deadline set by Congress, drawing criticism from lawmakers and survivors of Epstein's crimes. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the DOJ aims to ensure victim protections while complying with transparency requirements.
Thousands of additional files remain unreleased, with the DOJ indicating more documents will be published in the coming weeks.
