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US lawmakers release 20,000 pages of Epstein documents, including Trump references
More than 20,000 pages of documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate-including emails referencing former President Donald Trump-were made public Wednesday by US lawmakers, reigniting scrutiny of the convicted sex offender's high-profile connections. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee initially released three email exchanges, while Republicans later published a broader trove, accusing Democrats of selectively leaking materials to "slander" Trump.
Key emails between Epstein, Maxwell, and Trump associates
A 2011 exchange between Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, now serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, references Trump's alleged awareness of Epstein's activities. Epstein wrote, "I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump... [Virginia] spent hours at my house with him," adding that Trump had "never once been mentioned" by authorities. Maxwell replied, "I have been thinking about that." The victim's name, later confirmed as Virginia Giuffre-a prominent Epstein accuser who died by suicide this year-was initially redacted.
The White House dismissed the implications, stating Giuffre had previously said Trump "was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever" and had been "friendly" in their limited interactions. Giuffre's 2016 deposition and 2025 memoir corroborate this, with no allegations against Trump.
Wolff-Epstein exchanges reveal strategic discussions about Trump
Emails between Epstein and author Michael Wolff, who wrote extensively about Trump, show efforts to shape public narratives. In 2015, Wolff warned Epstein that CNN planned to question Trump about their relationship, suggesting Epstein could "let him hang himself" or "save him" to create political leverage. Wolff later proposed a 2016 interview where Epstein could "finish" Trump's campaign by discussing their ties.
In a 2019 email, Epstein claimed Trump had asked him to resign from Mar-a-Lago, denying formal membership but acknowledging Trump's awareness of "the girls," instructing Maxwell to "stop." Wolff confirmed the authenticity of the exchanges in an Instagram video, stating he had long sought to expose the story.
Prince Andrew and Lord Mandelson named in documents
A 2011 email chain includes Prince Andrew's denial of allegations involving a masseuse introduced by Epstein. Andrew responded to a forwarded "right of reply" from the Mail on Sunday, writing, "I don't know anything about this!... This has NOTHING to do with me." The paper later published a photo of Andrew with Giuffre, though he has never faced charges.
Former UK minister Lord Peter Mandelson, who resigned in September over Epstein ties, appears in a 2016 exchange where Epstein jokes about Mandelson visiting "the Donald White House." Mandelson, who previously admitted regretting his association with Epstein, declined to comment on the emails.
Survivors demand full transparency
Annie Farmer, an Epstein accuser and key witness in Maxwell's trial, criticized the partial release, stating, "Survivors deserve more than a trickle of information." She called for the full disclosure of the so-called "Epstein files," arguing the estimated 1,000 victims deserve "full transparency."
"The more information that comes out about Jeffrey Epstein, the more questions we're left with."
Annie Farmer, Epstein accuser
Political fallout and White House response
House Republicans accused Democrats of "cherry-picking" documents to target Trump, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the release a "fake narrative" to smear the former president. Leavitt reiterated Trump's claim that he severed ties with Epstein in the early 2000s after witnessing inappropriate behavior toward female employees.
Democrats defended redactions, citing privacy concerns for victims' families. Representative Robert Garcia stated the party would never disclose victims' names against their families' wishes.
