Exclusive: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump's ties to 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.
A past relationship
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.
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.
'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.
Together at a fashion show
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New US tariffs cloud outlook for exporters in Asia and beyond
BANGKOK (AP) — President Donald Trump's new tariff rates on U.S. imports from dozens of countries took effect Thursday, the latest chapter in the saga of Trump's reshaping of global trade. But many questions remain. Trump has threatened tariffs of up to 200% on imports of pharmaceuticals and has ordered a 100% import tax on computer chips. Most U.S. imports of copper, steel and aluminum are subject to a 50% tariff. There's still no agreement on what tariffs might apply to products shipped from China. India has no deal yet and faces a potential 50% tariff as Trump pressures it to stop buying oil from Russia. Recent data shows uncertainty is clouding the outlook for exporters around the world as a rush to beat the tariffs during a pause for negotiation tapers off. Companies are reporting billions of dollars in higher costs or losses due to the higher import duties. Global financial markets took Thursday's tariff adjustments in stride, with Asian shares and U.S. futures mostly higher. Here's where things stand in what has proven to be a fast-changing policy landscape. The tariffs taking effect this week The tariffs announced on Aug. 1 apply to 66 countries, Taiwan and the Falkland Islands. They are a revised version of what Trump called " reciprocal tariffs," announced on April 2: import taxes of up to 50% on goods from countries that have a trade surplus with the United States, along with 10% 'baseline'' taxes on almost everyone else. That move triggered sell-offs in financial markets and Trump backtracked to allow time for trade talks. The president has bypassed Congress, which has authority over taxes, by invoking a 1977 law to declare the trade deficit a national emergency. That's being challenged in court, but the revised tariffs still took effect. To keep their access to the huge American market, major trading partners have struck deals with Trump. The United Kingdom agreed to 10% tariffs and the European Union, South Korea and Japan accepted U.S. tariffs of 15%. Those are much higher than the low single-digit rates they paid last year, but down from the 30% Trump had ordered for the EU and the 25% he ordered for Japan. Countries in Africa and Asia are mostly facing lower rates than the ones Trump decreed in April. Thailand, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines cut deals with Trump, settling for rates of around 20%. Indonesia views its 19% tariff deal as a leg up against exporters in other countries that will have to pay slightly more, said Fithra Faisal Hastiadi, a spokesperson in the Indonesian president's office. 'We were competing against Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China ... and they are all subject to higher reciprocal tariffs,' Hastiadi said. 'We believe we will stay competitive.' The latest situation for China and India Trump has yet to announce whether he will extend an Aug. 12 deadline for reaching a trade agreement with China that would forestall earlier threats of tariffs of up to 245%. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the president is deciding about another 90-day delay to allow time to work out details of an agreement setting tariffs on most products at 50%, including extra import duties related to illicit trade in fentanyl. Higher import taxes on small parcels from China have hurt smaller factories and layoffs have accelerated, leaving some 200 million workers reliant on 'flexible work' — the gig economy — for their livelihoods, the government estimates. India also has no broad trade agreement with Trump. On Wednesday, Trump he signed an executive order placing an extra 25% tariff for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing combined U.S. tariffs to 50%. India's Foreign Ministry has stood firm, saying it began importing oil from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, a 'necessity compelled by the global market situation.' The hardest-hit countries Struggling, impoverished Laos and war-torn Myanmar and Syria face 40-41% rates. Trump whacked Brazil with a 50% import tax largely because he's unhappy with its treatment of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. South Africa said the steep 30% rate Trump has ordered on the exporter of precious gems and metals has put 30,000 jobs at risk and left the country scrambling to find new markets outside the United States. Even wealthy Switzerland is under the gun. Swiss officials were visiting Washington this week to try to stave off a whopping 39% tariff on U.S. imports of its chocolate, watches and other products. The rate is over 2 1/2 times the 15% rate on European Union goods exported to the United States. Canada and Mexico have their own arrangements Goods that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump negotiated during his first term are excluded from the tariffs. Even though U.S. neighbor and ally Canada was hit by a 35% tariff after it defied Trump, a staunch supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, by saying it would recognize a Palestinian state, nearly all of its exports to the U.S. remain duty free. Canada's central bank says 100% of energy exports and 95% of other exports are compliant with the agreement since regional rules mean Canadian and Mexico companies can claim preferential treatment. The slice of Mexican exports not covered by the USMCA is subject to a 25% tariff, down from an earlier rate of 30%, during a 90-day negotiating period that began last week. The outlook for businesses Surveys of factory managers offer monthly insights into export orders, hiring and other indicators of how businesses are faring. The latest figures in the United States and globally mostly showed conditions deteriorating. In Japan, factory output contracted in July, purchasing activity fell and hiring slowed, according to the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI. But the data were collected before Trump announced a trade deal that cut tariffs on Japanese exports to 15% from 25%. Similar surveys show a deterioration in manufacturing conditions worldwide, as a boost from 'front loading' export orders to beat higher tariffs faded, S&P Global said. Similar measures for service industries have remained stronger, reflecting more domestic business activity. In Asia, that includes a rebound in tourism across the region. Corporate bottom lines are also taking a hit. Honda Motor said Wednesday that it estimates the cost from higher tariffs at about $3 billion. On top that, the U.S. economy — Trump's trump card as the world's biggest market — is starting to show pain from months of tariff threats. ___ Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta and Aniruddha Ghosal in Hanoi contributed. Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Latest: Trump's tariffs go into effect
The U.S. began officially levying higher taxes on imports from dozens of countries Thursday, four months after President Donald Trump first announced plans to impose tariffs on most of the world while seeking new trade agreements across the board. The White House said that starting just after midnight goods from more than 60 countries and the European Union would face tariff rates of 10% or higher. Products from the European Union, Japan and South Korea will be taxed at 15%, while imports from Taiwan, Vietnam and Bangladesh will be taxed at 20%. Trump also expects places such as the EU, Japan and South Korea to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. The Trump White House is confident that the onset of his broad tariffs will provide clarity about the path of the world's largest economy. Now that companies understand the direction the U.S. is headed, the administration believes they can ramp up new investments and jump-start hiring in ways that can rebalance the U.S. economy as a manufacturing power. But so far, economic data has shown a U.S. economy that began flagging after Trump's initial rollout of tariffs in April. Here's the latest: Modi vows to defend farmers' interests Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India will never compromise the interests of farmers. 'For us, the interests of farmers are a top priority. I know I will have to personally pay a heavy price for it, but I am ready,' Modi said at a conference in what was seen as a message to the U.S. administration, which has been seeking greater access to India's agriculture and dairy sectors. India and the U.S. have had five rounds of negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement, but haven't been able to clinch one so far. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil. The order would go into effect in 21 days and bring the combined tariffs imposed on India to 50%. Sony profits are up Japanese entertainment and electronics company Sony said Thursday its profit surged 23% in the last quarter from the year before, as damage from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs was less than it had expected. Sony raised its forecast for its profit in the full fiscal year until March 2026 to 970 billion yen ($6.6 billion), from an earlier forecast of 930 billion yen ($6.3 billion). The revised projection is still lower than what it earned in the previous fiscal year at 1 trillion yen. Sony now estimates the impact of the additional U.S. tariffs on its operating income at 70 billion yen ($476 million), much better than the initial estimate of 100 billion yen ($680 million).
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
More Ukrainians now want a negotiated end to the war with Russia, new Gallup poll shows
WASHINGTON (AP) — After more than three years of war, Ukrainians are increasingly eager for a settlement that ends the fight against Russia's invasion, according to a new Gallup poll published Thursday — although only about a quarter of Ukrainians surveyed expect the guns to fall silent within the next 12 months. The enthusiasm for a negotiated deal is a sharp reversal from 2022 — the year the war began — when Gallup found that about three-quarters of Ukrainians wanted to keep fighting until victory. Now only about one-quarter hold that view, with support for continuing the war declining steadily across all regions and demographic groups. The findings were based on samples of 1,000 or more respondents ages 15 and older living in Ukraine. Some territories under entrenched Russian control, representing about 10% of the population, were excluded from surveys conducted after 2022 due to lack of access. Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. On the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line snaking from northeast to southeast Ukraine, where tens of thousands of troops on both sides have died, Russia's bigger army is slowly capturing more land. The poll came out on the eve of U.S. President Donald Trump's Friday deadline for Russia to stop the killing or face heavy economic sanctions. In the new Gallup survey, conducted in early July, about 7 in 10 Ukrainians say their country should seek to negotiate a settlement as soon as possible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month renewed his offer to meet with Russia's Vladimir Putin, but his overture was rebuffed as Russia sticks to its demands, and the sides remain far apart. Most Ukrainians do not expect a lasting peace anytime soon, the poll found. Only about one-quarter say it's 'very' or 'somewhat' likely that active fighting will end within the next 12 months, while about 7 in 10 think it's 'somewhat' or 'very' unlikely that active fighting will be over in the next year. Approval of U.S. falls, approval of Germany rises Ukrainian views of the American government have cratered over the past few years, while positive views of Germany's leadership have risen, according to Gallup. Three years ago, about two-thirds of Ukrainians approved of U.S. leadership. That's since fallen to 16% in the latest poll, reflecting new tensions between the two countries since Trump took office in January. But although the dip from last year was substantial — approval of U.S. leadership was 40% in 2024 — positive views of U.S. leadership were already dropping before Trump took office, perhaps related to the antipathy that prominent Republican politicians showed toward billions of dollars in U.S. support for Ukraine. Germany has grown more popular among Ukrainians over the past few years, rising to 63% approval in the new poll. Hope for NATO, EU acceptance has fallen Ukrainians are much less optimistic that their country will be accepted into NATO or the European Union in the next decade than they were just a few years ago. In the new poll, about one-third of Ukrainians expect that Ukraine will be accepted into NATO within the next 10 years, while about one-quarter think it will take at least 10 years, and one-third believe it will never happen. That's down from 2022, when about two-thirds of Ukrainians thought acceptance into NATO would happen in the coming decade and only about 1 in 10 thought it would never happen. Hope for acceptance into the EU is higher but has also fallen. About half, 52%, of Ukrainians now expect to be part of the EU within the next decade, down from 73% in 2022. ___ Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
