What Was Maria Farmer's ‘Troubling Encounter' With Trump? How Is She Linked To Epstein Case?
Maria Farmer is now alleging a 'troubling encounter' with Donald Trump in the 1990s and linking him to Jeffrey Epstein
The Jeffrey Epstein case has been grabbing the headlines for a while now. While the resurgence of interest in Epstein and unanswered questions about his crimes, has led to a boost in book sales, Netflix streams and YouTube searches, President Donald Trump has filed a libel lawsuit against the publisher of the Wall Street Journal and reporters who wrote a story about a collection of letters gifted to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003, including a note bearing Trump's name.
Maria Farmer, one of the first to file a criminal complaint against Epstein, is now alleging a 'troubling encounter" with Trump in the 1990s and linking him to Epstein.
Who is Jeffrey Epstein?
Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who became notorious for running a large-scale sex trafficking operation involving underage girls and connections to influential elites. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953, he initially worked as a teacher and later moved into finance, claiming to manage the wealth of billionaires through a secretive investment firm.
In 2005, Epstein was first investigated by Florida police after a 14-year-old girl accused him of sexual abuse. The investigation uncovered more than 30 underage victims, but in 2008, Epstein struck a controversial plea deal that allowed him to plead guilty to lesser state charges, serving just 13 months in jail with generous work-release privileges. In July 2019, Epstein was arrested again—this time by federal authorities in New York—on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors, with prosecutors accusing him of sexually abusing dozens of girls between 2002 and 2005 at his residences in Manhattan and Florida. While awaiting trial in the Metropolitan Correctional Center, Epstein died on August 10, 2019, in what was officially ruled a suicide. At the time of his death, Epstein had been denied bail and faced potentially decades in prison. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later arrested and convicted for her role in helping Epstein recruit and abuse underage victims.
Who is Maria Farmer?
Maria Farmer is an American figurative visual artist and one of the earliest known accusers of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She filed a criminal complaint about Epstein's conduct in 1996.
She grew up in Kentucky; studied art at Santa Clara University (B.A., 1992), then earned her MFA from the New York Academy of Art in 1995.
She completed a postgraduate workshop at the Santa Fe Art Institute under painter Eric Fischl in 1995.
Maria Farmer's allegations against Jeffrey Epstein
Farmer was introduced to Epstein and Maxwell at her MFA show in 1995. She was subsequently hired by Epstein as an art consultant and desk receptionist at his New York townhouse. In 1996, while isolated at Epstein associate Leslie Wexner's Ohio estate, Farmer alleged she was sexually assaulted by Epstein and Maxwell. She escaped and reported the incident to the NYPD and FBI.
Despite detailing threats from Maxwell and lack of follow-up by authorities, her case faded from public view until journalist Vicky Ward's 2002 Vanity Fair exposé omitted her story — reportedly under pressure. The trauma impacted her art: she paused painting for over 20 years.
What did Maria Farmer say about Donald Trump?
In July 2025, Farmer alleged she reported concerns about Donald Trump—who allegedly made her uncomfortable at Epstein's NYC offices—to the FBI in 1996 and again in 2006.
Farmer alleged she told the authorities to look at the relationship between Epstein and high-profile celebrities like Trump and politicians like Bill Clinton.
She said she mentioned Trump specifically because the two men 's eemed so close".
Farmer has alleged she had a 'troubling encounter' with Trump in the 1990s. At the time, she was a teenager and Trump was a real-estate developer. Farmer, who was wearing running shorts, alleged Trump, who was in a business suit, 'stared at her bare legs". She said she remembered feeling scared. Then, Epstein came into the room. He told Trump, 'No, no. She's not here for you." The men then left the room, she said.
The White House has denied the incident ever occurred. 'The president was never in [Epstein's] office. The fact is that the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
The Epstein controversy impact
top videos
View all
The Epstein controversy has created a major fissure between Trump and his loyal base, with some of his most vocal supporters slamming the White House for the way it has handled the case, and questioning why Trump would not want the documents made public.
With Agency Inputs
About the Author
Manjiri Joshi
At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...Read More
Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!
view comments
Location :
Mumbai, India, India
First Published:
July 22, 2025, 15:25 IST
News explainers What Was Maria Farmer's 'Troubling Encounter' With Trump? How Is She Linked To Epstein Case?
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
17 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump's Epstein headache: Frustrated but won't create ‘bigger spectacle by firing anyone,' report quotes aide
Despite applying numerous diversion tactics, the Epstein Files scandal continues to remain a persistent headache for US President Donald Trump, with reports suggesting that he is frustrated with his government's handling of the case read more As the Epstein scandal takes America by storm, reports are emerging that US President Donald Trump is increasingly frustrated with how his administration is handling the furore surrounding his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Officials close to the matter told The Washington Post that the president is upset with how the scandal has overshadowed his agenda. However, two people familiar with the matter claimed that despite being upset with the team, Trump would not sack anyone, because a firing would act like fuel to the fire that Trump wants to die down. The president's exasperation follows weeks of missteps and no clear strategy among top officials who underestimated the outrage, especially from the president's base, and hoped the country would forget about the unreleased Epstein Files. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'This is a pretty substantial distraction,' one person close to the situation told The Washington Post. 'While many are trying to keep the unity, in many ways, the DOJ and the FBI are breaking at the seams. Many are wondering how sustainable this is going to be for all the parties involved — be it the FBI director or attorney general.' Trump is hesitant to say 'You're fired' Despite his frustration, officials said that Trump has been hesitant to make personnel changes. 'He does not want to create a bigger spectacle by firing anyone,' a person close to the president told the American news outlet. At the centre of the storm is US Attorney General . For months, the release of the Epstein Files was one of Bondi's signature agendas. However, during the July Fourth holiday weekend, Bondi, her top deputy and FBI leaders swiftly gave final approval to an unsigned memo about the Epstein files that ignited a whole new furore. The controversial memo argued that the Trump administration had found no evidence to dispute that Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 and said there was no 'client list' that would lead them to prosecute anyone else. Apart from this, the memo noted that no more documents would be released in the case in order to protect the privacy of the victims. The memo garnered backlash from both Democrats and Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) Movement supporters. Both sides started to demand more transparency while the White House struggled to respond. Since then, anonymous officials claim that Trump and Bondi have been discussing the matter 'almost every day'. 'They completely miscalculated the fever pitch to which they built this up,' Stephen A. Saltzburg, a former Justice Department official in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, told The Washington Post. 'Now, they seem to be in full-bore panic mode, trying to change the subject and flailing to make sense of what makes no sense," he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The cracks within the Trump team White House soon went into a damage control mode with a steady series of announcements from the administration has failed to quiet the clamor, including the release of FBI records on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, a newly launched investigation into former FBI director James B. Comey and an substantive treason accusation against former president Barack Obama over the 2016 presidential election. However, none of it seemed to sway the public's attention from the Epstein files. 'We had the Greatest Six Months of any President in the History of our Country, and all the Fake News wants to talk about is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax!' Trump vented on social media this month. Apart from this, cracks are propping up within the Trump administration. The Epstein scandal has left the DoJ and the FBI on opposing sides. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino even threatened to resign from his post. Not only this, Bondi accused Bongino of leaking information to the media around the handling of the Epstein files, three people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. With disagreements within the team and the reports of Trump's name being mentioned in the files multiple times, the Epstein Files have become a recurring headache for the president.
NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
Did Donald Trump Cheat During Golf Game? Video From Scotland Sparks Row
Edinburgh: US President Donald Trump was in Scotland over the weekend, where he played golf at his Trump Turnberry golf course. But social media users soon got hold of a clip that appears to show the American leader cheating in the sport he claims to love-- the latest in a long line of cheating accusations against the 79-year-old on the golf course. A now-viral video, recorded during Trump's Saturday round, shows Trump arriving at a bunker in a cart. He is followed by a caddie in a red vest, who was purportedly seen tossing a ball into the light rough near a bunker, just short of the sand trap. The move seemed to improve the American president's lie before he exited his golf cart. Trump working hard to bring down grocery prices — PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 27, 2025 Trump reportedly played 18 holes with his son Eric and US Ambassador Warren Stephens at Turnberry during the trip that included trade talks with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. The latest controversy adds to sports writer Rick Reilly's claim that "Trump is the worst cheat ever" on the golf course. The former Sports Illustrated columnist, who wrote the book titled "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump", said in a 2019 interview that the Republican would "cheat you on the course and then buy you lunch." Reilly, who reportedly played the self-regulated sport with Trump, had called the President a habitual manipulator. "I always say golf is like bicycle shorts. It reveals a lot about a man. And golf reveals a lot of ugliness in this president," he said, according to a report by The Guardian. Neither the President nor the White House have issued any statement on the renewed 'cheating' allegations yet. The clip also divided social media users, with several accusing Trump of cheating while others joking about his focus on golf amid trade negotiations. "Trump caught cheating at golf, watch the second guy in the red vest toss a ball behind him," one X user wrote. "Watch his caddy drop the ball in a more favourable location for him. First, he cheated on his wife with children, and now he's cheating at golf. What low will he not stoop to?" another person wrote. "Trump working hard to bring down grocery prices," a third person quipped. The US President's fairness in the port he claims to love has long been questioned, with veterans like Mick Mulvaney noting his competitive edge. The Turnberry incident, while not conclusive proof of cheating, adds to scrutiny over his sportsmanship.
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
French ministers say EU-US trade deal has merits but is also unbalanced
French government ministers said a framework trade deal between the United States and European Union had some merits – such as exemptions for some key French business sectors such as spirits – but was nevertheless unbalanced. 'The trade agreement negotiated by the European Commission with the United States will bring temporary stability to economic actors threatened by the escalation of American tariffs, but it is unbalanced,' wrote French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad on X. That view was echoed by France's industry minister Marc Ferracci, who said more talks – which could last weeks or months – would be needed before the deal could be formally concluded. Ferracci told RTL radio that more needed to be done in terms of rebalancing the EU's trade relations with the U.S. 'This is not the end of the story,' Ferracci told RTL.
