Photos: Newly discovered pictures and video shed fresh light on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Andrew Kaczynski
and
Em Steck
, CNN
Jeffrey Epstein is seen at Donald Trump and Marla Maples wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York in December 1993.
Photo:
Dafydd Jones via CNN Newsource
Newly uncovered archived video footage and photos reveal fresh details about Donald Trump's past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Photos from 1993 confirm for the first time that Epstein attended Trump's 1993 wedding to Marla Maples. Epstein's attendance at the ceremony at the Plaza Hotel was not widely known until now.
In addition, footage from a 1999 Victoria's Secret fashion event in New York shows Trump and Epstein laughing and chatting together ahead of the runway event. CNN's KFile uncovered the raw footage during a review of archival video of Trump at events in the 1990s and 2000s. Trump and Epstein appeared together in at least one video among the limited archival footage reviewed.
The new footage and photos, which have not been widely reported and pre-date any of Epstein's known legal issues, come amid renewed scrutiny of Trump's past relationship with Epstein. The Justice Department's recent decision not to release long-promised files related to Epstein has spurred outrage in some corners of Trump's MAGA movement, where people developed an expectation for bombshell revelations into Epstein's alleged co-conspirators.
In a brief call with CNN on Tuesday, President Trump, asked about the wedding photos, responded, "You've got to be kidding me," before repeatedly calling CNN "fake news" and hanging up.
In a statement to CNN, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said, "These are nothing more than out-of-context frame grabs of innocuous videos and pictures of widely attended events to disgustingly infer something nefarious.
"The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep. This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media."
Allegations that Epstein sexually abused underage girls first surfaced in 2005, leading to his arrest a year later. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and later died in jail, fueling numerous conspiracy theories. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide by hanging.
Trump's relationship with Epstein dates back to the 1980s and included regular appearances at social events in Palm Beach and New York. No law enforcement authorities have ever accused Trump of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
The two had a falling-out in the mid-2000s, according to the Washington Post, stemming from a dispute over a high-profile real estate deal in Palm Beach.
Before then, photos and video repeatedly showed the two were friendly. In 2019, NBC posted footage of a party showing Trump socializing with Epstein in 1992.
A year later in October 1993, high-society photographer Dafydd Jones took photos at the opening of the Harley Davidson Cafe in New York, capturing Trump and Epstein together.
"There was this guy there who struck me - the way he was looking - and he gave me his card. It said: Jeffrey Epstein, financial advisor," Jones recalled in an interview with CNN this week.
Donald Trump and his kids, Eric and Ivanka Trump, are seen with Jeffrey Epstein at the Harley Davidson Cafe opening in New York in 1993.
Photo:
Dafydd Jones via CNN Newsource
Jones captured photos of Trump with his arm around his two young children as he stands next to Epstein, leaning on a railing.
Two months later, in December 1993, Jones was assigned by a media organization to photograph Trump's wedding. Among the photos he took was one of Epstein entering the event.
"I must have recognized him going in [to the event]," Jones said to CNN, adding he only took select photos of attendees he thought looked interesting.
Donald Trump and Marla Maples are seen at their wedding in December 1993.
Photo:
DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock
"I wish now I took more of him with Trump," he said. "I had the job of photographing the Trump wedding, so I stood with the press and photographed him. The image you have is from the contact sheet - the negatives were lost."
Another photo captures Epstein at Trump's wedding, part of LIFE's archive that was reviewed by CNN. It shows Epstein smiling in the background - his head just visible between other guests and shock jock Howard Stern and Robin Leach of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," who were taking a group picture.
LIFE's collection of dozens of photos of Trump's wedding are available online through Google Images and Shutterstock, and a CNN review of photos found multiple photos with Epstein.
Alison Stern, Robin Leach, Jeffrey Epstein, Cecilia Nord and Howard Stern are seen at Donald Trump's wedding to Marla Maples in New York in December 1993. Note: CNN has highlighted a portion of this photo to more clearly identify Epstein in the picture.
Photo:
DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource
The 1999 fashion show wasn't the first Victoria's Secret event the pair attended together. Two photos from Getty Images show Trump and Epstein appearing at a 1997 Angels party in New York, two years before the footage uncovered by CNN.
Epstein's presence at the 1999 fashion show also reflects his longstanding ties to Leslie Wexner, the billionaire founder of Victoria's Secret's parent company. Epstein managed Wexner's finances from 1987 to around 2007. The two later severed ties, and Wexner has said he was unaware of Epstein's alleged crimes during their association.
In 2002, Trump was quoted in a New York Magazine profile of Epstein - "Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery" - describing him as "a terrific guy," saying he's known Epstein for 15 years. "It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side," Trump said.
Trump flew on Epstein's jets between Palm Beach and New York, at least seven times according to flight logs.
In his 2004 book, "Trump: How To Get Rich," Trump wrote about taking a call from a man he named "the mysterious Jeffrey."
"As mysterious as Jeffrey is, he's one of the few people I know who can get by on just a first name. My staff never asks for a last name in his case, which in a way puts him up there with Elvis. Not that Elvis calls in much these days, but you never know," Trump wrote.
It's unclear if the "mysterious Jeffrey" is Epstein and White House did not address it in a comment to CNN.
Images published in the Palm Beach Post in 2000 also show Trump, Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell - who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking - and Prince Andrew in attendance at a charity fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported on a birthday message sent bearing Trump's name for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. According to the Journal, it contained an outline of a naked woman and a typed note that ended with the line: "Happy Birthday-and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Following the report, the Trump administration pledged to release grand jury materials related to Epstein. The federal judge overseeing Maxwell's case set a deadline for the Justice Department to provide information so he can determine whether to unseal the transcripts.
The Department of Justice also said Tuesday it has reached out to Maxwell for a meeting amid backlash over the administration's handling of files related to Epstein.
Maxwell's attorney told CNN they "are in discussions with the government" on the matter. "Ghislaine will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case," attorney David Oscar Markus said.
Trump has denied authoring the note and drawing, calling the report false. On Friday, he sued the newspaper for libel in federal court in Florida.
-
CNN
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Doctor pleads guilty to distributing ketamine tied to Matthew Perry's death
Matthew Perry died in October 2023. Photo: Chris Delmas / AFP By Jack Hannah , CNN One of the doctors accused of providing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry , who died in October 2023, has pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, according to federal prosecutors. Salvador Plasencia will face a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison for each count at his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for December 3, the US Attorney's Office of the Central District of California said in a press statement on Wednesday. Plasencia will remain free on bond and has indicated through his attorneys that he intends to surrender his medical license in the next six weeks. A statement on behalf of Plasencia shared with CNN this week said he "is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry." "He is fully accepting responsibility by pleading guilty to drug distribution" and acknowledges "his failure to protect Mr. Perry, a patient who was especially vulnerable due to addiction." Plasencia, of Santa Monica, California, is one of five people who were charged in relation to Perry's death. Prosecutors say an underground network of drug sellers and suppliers were responsible for distributing the ketamine that killed Perry, who starred in the TV show "Friends." Perry died at age 54 because of "acute effects" of ketamine and subsequent drowning, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy report. His body was found floating face down in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. Plasencia faces a maximum sentence of 40 years, a three-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $2 million or twice the gross gain or loss from the offenses, whatever is greatest, as well as a mandatory $400 special assessment, the US Attorney's office for the Central District of California said last month. - CNN

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
From ‘you're a joke' to ‘I've forgiven you': Families of Idaho murder victims address Bryan Kohberger at sentencing
Bryan Kohberger appears at the Ada County Courthouse for his sentencing hearing on July 23 in Boise, Idaho. Photo: Kyle Green/Pool/AP via CNN Newsource By Eric Levenson , Dakin Andone , Maureen Chowdhury , Antoinette Radford , CNN The family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four University of Idaho students killed by Bryan Kohberger in 2022, called him a "joke," "loser," and "as dumb as they come" in a day of searing victim impact statements. "If you hadn't attacked them in their sleep , in the middle of the night like a pedophile, Kaylee would have kicked your fucking ass," her sister Alivea Goncalves said to him, earning a round of applause from some of those gathered in the Boise, Idaho, courtroom. The impact statements from the victims' families were part of a dramatic sentencing hearing that represented the final opportunity for the families to speak in court and reflect on their loved ones, Kohberger and the case's controversial plea deal. Kohberger, too, had an opportunity to speak to the court and answer the question that remains frustratingly unclear: Why? Yet he was as unknowable as ever. Wearing an orange prison outfit, Kohberger kept a flat affect throughout the hearing and did not appear to react to any of the statements. And when he had his turn to speak to the court, he said only three words: "I respectfully decline." Earlier this month, the former criminology graduate student admitted to fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students - Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen - in their off-campus home during the overnight hours of November 13, 2022. He pleaded guilty to burglary and four counts of first-degree murder, and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of life in prison, taking the death penalty off the table. Speaking directly to Kohberger, Alivea Goncalves said her sister would "call you exactly what you are: sociopath, psychopath, murderer." She called Kohberger "defendant" and asked a series of questions she said "reverberate violently" in her own head. "Sit up straight when I talk to you," she said. "How was your life right before you murdered my sister? Did you prepare for the crime before leaving your apartment? Please detail what you were thinking and feeling at the time." "If you were really smart, do you think you'd be here right now?" She dismissed him as a sociopath, a psychopath and a delusional and pathetic loser. He is "as dumb as they come," she said, adding that "no one thinks that you are important." "The truth is, you're basic," she said. "Let me be very clear: Don't ever try to convince yourself you matter just because someone finally said your name out loud. I see through you," she said. Steve Goncalves, the victim's father, turned the lectern to directly face Kohberger in his impact statement. "The world's watching because of the kids, not because of you. Nobody cares about you. … In time, you will be nothing but two initials, forgotten to the wind," he said. He called Kohberger a "joke" and described how easy it was to track him down. "Police officers tell us within minutes they had your DNA. Like a calling card. You were that careless. That foolish. That stupid. Masters degree? You're a joke. Complete joke," he said. Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen Photo: (Obtained by CNN) via CNN Newsource Bethany Funke, a roommate of the four slain students, wrote a statement - read aloud by a friend - about her survivor's guilt and her regrets about not immediately calling 911. "I was still out of it and still didn't know what happened. If I had known, I of course, would have called 911 right away," Funke wrote. "I still carry so much regret and guilt for not knowing what had happened and not calling right away, even though I understand, it wouldn't have changed anything." "That was the worst day of my life, and I know it always will be," she added. "Why me? Why did I get to live and not them?" Dylan Mortensen, who also lived with the victims, read aloud her statement through tears, describing what the perpetrator had taken away from all of them. "He didn't just take their lives, he took the light they carried into every room. He took away how they made everyone feel safe, loved, and full of joy. He took away the ability for me to tell them that I love them and that I'm so proud of them. "He took away who they were becoming, and the futures they were going to have. He took away birthdays, graduations, celebrations, and all the memories that we were supposed to make," she said. "All of it is gone. And all the people who loved them are just left to carry that weight forever." "He didn't just take them from the world, he took them from me. My friends, my people who felt like my home. The people I looked up to and adored more than anyone. He took away my ability to trust the world around me. What he did shattered me in places I didn't know could break." Mortensen said she has panic attacks "that slam into me like a tsunami out of nowhere" and send her heart racing. She also said she had a dream last year in which she was able to say goodbye to her slain roommates. "I told them I won't be able to see you again, so I need to tell you goodbye. They all kept asking why, and all I could say was I can't tell you but I have to," she said. "When I woke up, I felt shattered and heartbroken but also strangely grateful, like maybe in some way that dream gave us the goodbye we never got. Still, no dream can replace them, and no goodbye will ever feel finished." Scott Laramie, Mogen's stepfather, read a statement on behalf of him and Mogen's mother, Karen Laramie, saying their daughter was "our gift of life, our purpose and our hope." Laramie said the tragic loss of their daughter has left a "vast emotional wound" that will "never heal." "Since Maddie's loss, there's emptiness in our hearts, home and family. An endless void," Laramie said. "We will grow old grow without our only child." Ben Mogen, Mogen's father, said she was much more than his only child. "She was the only great thing I ever really did. And the only thing I was ever really proud of." He described struggling with addiction and substance abuse and how her daughter helped him. "When I wasn't wanting to live anymore, she was what would keep me from not caring anymore. Knowing that she was out there and was such a beautiful person kept me alive in a lot of rough moments," he said. Mogen's grandmother, Kim Cheeley, told a charming story about how Mogen, her first granddaughter, gave her an unusual nickname. Mogen, then a 1.5-year-old, called her grandmother the same way she mispronounced "banana" - "ba-deedle-deedle." From then on, Cheeley became known as "Deedle," she said. A couple of years before her death, Mogen bought Cheeley a necklace with "Deedle and Maddie" engraved on it, which has become one of her "treasured" possessions, she said. Following her granddaughter's death, Cheeley added an angel wing to the necklace, she told the court. "It's one of my treasured possessions," she said. Several members of the family now have an angel wing tattoo in honor of her granddaughter, Cheeley said. "I wanted mine where I could see and touch it often," she said, rubbing her left forearm. Kim Kernodle, the aunt of Xana Kernodle, said the loss of her niece at first spurred anger within their family but recently has brought them closer. "You united us with your actions," she said. "We have family and friends now that we never knew we had." Unlike many of those who spoke in court Wednesday, she offered Kohberger absolution. "Bryan, I am here today to tell you that I have forgiven you, because I can no longer live with that hate in my heart, and for me to become a better person, I have forgiven you," she said. "And anytime you want to talk and tell me what happened, you have my number. I'm here, no judgment, because I do have questions that I want you to answer. I'm here. I'll be that one that will listen to you, OK?" Jeff Kernodle, Xana Kernodle's father, offered his own regrets. On the night the students were killed, he said he almost went to his daughter's home but he had been drinking, and she told him not to drink and drive. Now, he said, he wishes that he had. "You would have had to deal with me," he told Kohberger. - CNN

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Wall Street Journal reports Trump is in Epstein files, White House calls story 'fake'
By Andrew Goudsward and Joseph Ax Composite image of Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump. Photo: AFP / NEW YORK STATE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY/HANDOUT US Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared in Justice Department files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing senior administration officials. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the Journal's report, which the White House characterized as "fake news." The newspaper's report threatened to expand what has become a major political crisis for Trump, whose past friendship with Epstein has drawn renewed scrutiny after his administration said it would not release the files, reversing a campaign promise. The Justice Department released a memo earlier this month that there was no basis to continue probing the Epstein case, triggering a backlash among Trump's political base who demanded more information about wealthy and powerful people who had interacted with Epstein . Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said their friendship ended before Epstein was first prosecuted. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty and the case was dismissed after his death. Under political pressure last week, Trump directed the Justice Department to seek the release of sealed grand jury transcripts from the case. A federal judge denied that request earlier on Wednesday. While the White House immediately dismissed the report as fictitious, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement that did not directly address the newspaper's reporting. "Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts," the officials said. "As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings." The Journal reported that Bondi and her deputy told Trump at a White House meeting that his name, as well as those of "many other high-profile figures," appeared in the files. US Attorney General Pam Bondi Photo: MANDEL NGAN / AFP Last week, the newspaper reported that Trump had sent Epstein a bawdy birthday note in 2003 that ended, "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret." Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter. Trump has sued the Journal and its owners , including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, asserting that the birthday note was fake. Since the Justice Department's memo, Trump has faced growing frustration among his base of supporters, after far-right figures spent years promoting conspiracy theories - at times echoed by Trump - about Epstein and alleged ties to prominent Democratic politicians. Epstein hung himself in prison in 2019, according to the New York City chief medical examiner. But his connections with wealthy and powerful individuals prompted speculation that his death was not a suicide. The Justice Department said in its memo this month that it had concluded Epstein died by his own hand. In a sign of how the issue has bedeviled Trump and his fellow Republicans, US House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday abruptly said he would send lawmakers home for the summer a day early to avoid a floor fight over a vote on the Epstein files. His decision temporarily stymied a push by Democrats and some Republicans for a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would require the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents. More than two-thirds of Americans believe the Trump administration is hiding information about Epstein's clients, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week. Wednesday's court motion stemmed from federal investigations into Epstein in 2005 and 2007, according to court documents. US District Judge Robin Rosenberg found that the Justice Department's request in Florida did not fall into any of the exceptions to rules requiring grand jury material be kept secret. The Justice Department also has pending requests to unseal transcripts in Manhattan federal court related to later indictments brought against Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction for child sex trafficking and other crimes. - Reuters