Musk deletes post claiming Trump 'in the Epstein files'
WASHINGTON: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has deleted an explosive allegation linking Donald Trump with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that he posted on social media during a vicious public fallout with the US president this week.
Musk – who exited his role as a top White House adviser just last week – alleged on Thursday that the Republican leader is featured in secret government files on former associates of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while he faced sex trafficking charges.
The Trump administration has acknowledged it is reviewing tens of thousands of documents, videos and investigative material that his "MAGA" movement says will unmask public figures complicit in Epstein's crimes.
"Time to drop the really big bomb: (Trump) is in the Epstein files," Musk posted on his social media platform, X, as his growing feud with the president boiled over into a spectacularly public row on Thursday.
"That is the real reason they have not been made public."
Musk did not reveal which files he was talking about and offered no evidence for his claim.
He initially doubled down on the claim, writing in a follow-up message: "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."
However, he appeared to have deleted both posts by Saturday morning.
Supporters on the conspiratorial end of Trump's "Make America Great Again" base allege that Epstein's associates had their roles in his crimes covered up by government officials and others.
They point the finger at Democrats and Hollywood celebrities, although not at Trump himself. No official source has ever confirmed that the president appears in any of the material.
Trump knew and socialised with Epstein but has denied spending time on Little Saint James, the private redoubt in the US Virgin Islands where prosecutors alleged Epstein trafficked underage girls for sex.
"Terrific guy," Trump, who was Epstein's neighbour in both Florida and New York, said in an early 2000s profile of the financier.
"He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."
Just last week Trump gave Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But their relationship imploded within days as Musk described as an "abomination" a spending bill that, if passed by Congress, could define Trump's second term in office.
Trump hit back in an Oval Office diatribe and from there the row detonated, leaving Washington and riveted social media users alike stunned by the blistering break-up between the world's richest person and the world's most powerful.
With real political and economic risks to their row, both then appeared to inch back from the brink on Friday, but the White House denied reports they would talk.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
15 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump deploys National Guard over LA immigration protests
LOS ANGELES: Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the streets of Los Angeles on Saturday in what the White House said was an effort to quell 'lawlessness,' after sometimes-violent protests erupted over immigration enforcement raids. The US president took federal control of California's state military to push soldiers into the country's second-biggest city, where they could face off against demonstrators. It is a rare move that Governor Gavin Newsom said was 'purposefully inflammatory.' The development came after two days of confrontations that had seen federal agents shoot flash-bang grenades and tear gas towards crowds angry at the arrests of dozens of migrants in a city with a large Latino population. Footage showed a car that had been set alight at a busy intersection, while in video circulating on social media a man in a motorbike helmet can be seen throwing rocks at speeding federal vehicles. Protestors could be seen jeering at agents and filming them on their phones. In other scenes, demonstrators threw fireworks at lines of local law enforcement who had been called in to try to keep the peace. 'President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said late Saturday, blaming what she called California's 'feckless' Democratic leaders. 'The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs.' The National Guard -- a reserve military -- is frequently used in natural disasters, like in the aftermath of the LA fires, and rarely in instances of civil unrest. It was deployed in Los Angeles after the 2020 killing of George Floyd. Newsom, a frequent foil for Trump and a long-time foe of the Republican, took to social media to decry Saturday's White House order. 'That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,' he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need. 'This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.' Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to ramp up tensions further, warning that nearby regular military forces could get involved. 'If violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized -- they are on high alert,' he wrote on social media. Since taking office in January, Republican Trump has delivered on a promise to crack down hard on the entry and presence of undocumented migrants -- who he has likened to 'monsters' and 'animals.' Saturday's standoff took place in the suburb of Paramount, where demonstrators converged on a reported federal facility, which the local mayor said was being used as a staging post by agents. On Friday, masked and armed immigration agents carried out high-profile workplace raids in separate parts of Los Angeles, attracting angry crowds and setting off hours-long standoffs. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged that some city residents were 'feeling fear' following the federal immigration enforcement actions. 'Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable,' she said on X. Roadblocks and chants FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said multiple arrests had been made following Friday's clashes. 'You bring chaos, and we'll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail,' he said on X. On Saturday, amid chants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to get out, some protestors waved Mexican flags while others set a US flag on fire, the Los Angeles Times reported. Cement blocks and overturned shopping carts served as crude roadblocks. A crowd swarmed a US Marshals Service bus exiting a nearby freeway, with authorities later closing on and off ramps to keep protesters from taking over the highway and to stop new people from flowing in. The White House has taken a hard line against the protests, with deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller calling them 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.' Los Angeles, the second-most populous city in the United States, is one of the most diverse places in the country. The suburb of Paramount, home to about 50,000 people, is 82 percent Hispanic or Latino, according to US Census data.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump Sends 2,000 National Guard to Los Angeles Amid Protests
LOS ANGELES: Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the streets of Los Angeles on Saturday in what the White House said was an effort to quell 'lawlessness,' after sometimes-violent protests erupted over immigration enforcement raids. The US president took federal control of California's state military to push soldiers into the country's second-biggest city, where they could face off against demonstrators. It is a rare move that Governor Gavin Newsom said was 'purposefully inflammatory.' The development came after two days of confrontations that had seen federal agents shoot flash-bang grenades and tear gas towards crowds angry at the arrests of dozens of migrants in a city with a large Latino population. Footage showed a car that had been set alight at a busy intersection, while in video circulating on social media a man in a motorbike helmet can be seen throwing rocks at speeding federal vehicles. Protestors could be seen jeering at agents and filming them on their phones. In other scenes, demonstrators threw fireworks at lines of local law enforcement who had been called in to try to keep the peace. 'President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said late Saturday, blaming what she called California's 'feckless' Democratic leaders. 'The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs.' The National Guard -- a reserve military -- is frequently used in natural disasters, like in the aftermath of the LA fires, and rarely in instances of civil unrest. It was deployed in Los Angeles after the 2020 killing of George Floyd. Newsom, a frequent foil for Trump and a long-time foe of the Republican, took to social media to decry Saturday's White House order. 'That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,' he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need. 'This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.' Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to ramp up tensions further, warning that nearby regular military forces could get involved. 'If violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized -- they are on high alert,' he wrote on social media. Since taking office in January, Republican Trump has delivered on a promise to crack down hard on the entry and presence of undocumented migrants -- who he has likened to 'monsters' and 'animals.' Saturday's standoff took place in the suburb of Paramount, where demonstrators converged on a reported federal facility, which the local mayor said was being used as a staging post by agents. On Friday, masked and armed immigration agents carried out high-profile workplace raids in separate parts of Los Angeles, attracting angry crowds and setting off hours-long standoffs. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged that some city residents were 'feeling fear' following the federal immigration enforcement actions. 'Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable,' she said on X. Roadblocks and chants FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said multiple arrests had been made following Friday's clashes. 'You bring chaos, and we'll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail,' he said on X. On Saturday, amid chants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to get out, some protestors waved Mexican flags while others set a US flag on fire, the Los Angeles Times reported. Cement blocks and overturned shopping carts served as crude roadblocks. A crowd swarmed a US Marshals Service bus exiting a nearby freeway, with authorities later closing on and off ramps to keep protesters from taking over the highway and to stop new people from flowing in. The White House has taken a hard line against the protests, with deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller calling them 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.' Los Angeles, the second-most populous city in the United States, is one of the most diverse places in the country. The suburb of Paramount, home to about 50,000 people, is 82 percent Hispanic or Latino, according to US Census data.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Vietnam inks deals to buy US$3 Billion US products before talks
Vietnam has pledged to buy more US agricultural products. - Bloomberg HANOI: Vietnamese businesses have signed 20 agreements worth about US$3 billion to import more US agricultural products ahead of the third round of official negotiations set to take place next week. Memoranda of understanding were signed during talks involving Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy in Iowa, Ohio, Maryland and Washington from June 2-6, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday (June 7). "These agreements highlight the strong commitment and goodwill of Vietnam's business community and government to promote balanced trade with the US, and to encourage the Trump administration to reconsider high reciprocal tariffs on Vietnamese goods,' it said. Vietnam has engaged in weeks of intense diplomacy with the US - the largest export market of the trade-reliant country - as it seeks to avert a threatened 46 per cent tariff, which was later wound back to ten per cent for 90 days to allow time for talks. The reference to "goodwill' echoes language used earlier this week, when the South-East Asian nation sent a written reply to US trade requests after the Trump administration vowed to keep pressuring the country to reduce its role in China supply chains. Vietnam cited progress after the second round of trade talks last month but said that outstanding issues remain. It's taken steps to address some US concerns, such as stepping up a crackdown on trade fraud and promising to buy US agricultural products. - Bloomberg
