Trump deflects Epstein questions as he arrives in Scotland for trade talks
After landing at Glasgow Prestwick airport at about 8.30pm local time on Friday, the US president denied reports that he had been briefed about his name appearing in files pertaining to the case against the late Epstein. He also claimed he had not 'really been following' the justice department's interview with Epstein's convicted longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
'A lot of people have been asking me about pardons' for Maxwell, Trump said. 'Obviously, this is no time to be talking about pardons.
'You're making a very big thing over something that's not a big thing.'
Trump's name appeared on a contributor list for a book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, according to reporting from the New York Times, lending further weight to reports that the president participated in the leather-bound collection of messages, drawings and accolades – even though he denied that he contributed a signed and sexually suggestive note and drawing, as reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month.
Trump's name is listed among Epstein's friends and acquaintances who contributed birthday messages for the professionally bound book which reportedly had multiple volumes, the New York Times reported. The tome opens with a handwritten letter, also reviewed by the outlet, from Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for conspiring to sexually traffic children.
Maxwell had a second meeting on Friday with the US deputy attorney general and Trump's former personal criminal defense attorney, Todd Blanche, in Florida, where she is serving her prison term – following an initial face-to-face on Thursday.
Trump was asked about Maxwell on Friday morning as he departed for Scotland with the shadow of the rumbling Epstein scandal hanging over the visit.
Maxwell is appealing her conviction and the US president did not get into detail when asked about possible clemency for the disgraced British socialite and daughter of the late newspaper proprietor Robert Maxwell. Trump cited the ongoing investigation, while confirming he had the power of the presidential pardon, which can be used for federal or national level crimes but not state level.
'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about,' Trump told reporters outside the White House as he prepared to depart Washington DC.
When he arrived in Scotland, a large crowd was on hand, and some looking on reportedly applauded him.
He was greeted by Scottish secretary of state, Ian Murray, as he walked off Air Force One. The pair were seen shaking hands at the bottom of the aircraft stairs before Trump walked across the tarmac to a group of journalists to answer questions.
Trump planned to spend the weekend at one of his golf properties near Turnberry. Early next week, he will be visiting Aberdeen, where his family has one golf course and is getting ready to open a second course soon.
Trump plans to meet with the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to talk trade, amid his continual threats of imposing steep tariffs on US trading partners.
But none of that could overshadow Epstein, whose birthday gift collection includes about five dozen contributions from public figures and unknown acquaintances, according to documents reviewed by the Times and the Wall Street Journal, and was assembled before Epstein's first arrest in 2006.
The birthday book controversy has deepened anger over the decision by Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, and FBI director, Kash Patel, to backtrack on promises to release the Epstein investigative files.
Trump has responded to the growing backlash from his usually loyal supporters – and Democrats – over the U-turn with mounting fury, claiming that news reports over the birthday book were fake news.
Last week, Trump sued Journal's billionaire owner, Rupert Murdoch, publisher Dow Jones and two Journal reporters for libel and slander over claims that he sent Epstein a signed lewd letter and sketch of a naked woman as part of the birthday book.
Sign up to This Week in Trumpland
A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration
after newsletter promotion
'A pair of small arcs denotes the woman's breasts, and the future president's signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair,' the Journal reported of the alleged drawing. The letter allegedly concluded: 'Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.'
Trump followed the lawsuit, which seeks $10bn in damages, by barring Journal reporters from this weekend's trip to Scotland.
He also called for relevant grand jury testimony in the prosecution of Epstein to be publicly released, insisting that he had nothing to hide. On Wednesday, a district judge in Florida denied a request by Trump's Department of Justice to unseal the transcripts.
Congress was sent home early for summer recess by the House speaker and Trump loyalist, Mike Johnson, in an effort to quell Democratic party demands for a vote on the Epstein files.
But Trump's desire to play down his relationship with Epstein has been repeatedly thwarted by a steady drip of evidence – photos, videos, books and witnesses – that strongly suggest his name could appear in the files.
Earlier this week, CNN published newly uncovered photos and videos that show Epstein at Trump's 1993 wedding to Marla Maples, and the pair at a Victoria's Secret event in 1993, seemingly joking with Trump's future wife, Melania Trump.
The New York Times then reported that even before the birthday anthology, Trump had written another gushing note to Epstein in 1997. 'To Jeff – You are the greatest!' reads an inscription in a copy of Trump's book Trump: The Art of the Comeback that belonged to Epstein, which the Times said it had reviewed.
And the Journal reported more details on the birthday book, which Epstein's brother Mark Epstein recalls Maxwell putting together.
The contents page was organized into categories, with Trump and Bill Clinton listed under the 'Friends' group, according to the Journal. A message in Clinton's distinctive handwriting reportedly read: 'It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friend.'
Also listed as a friend is the Labour politician and current UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, whose tribute, the Journal reported, included photos of whiskey and a tropical island, and referred to Epstein as 'my best pal'.
Clinton has previously said that he cut ties with Epstein more than a decade before his 2019 arrest and didn't know about Epstein's alleged crimes. In 2023, Mandelson told the Journal that he 'very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein'.
A House committee on Wednesday voted to subpoena the justice department for the Epstein investigation files, with three Republicans voting alongside Democratic members. Democratic representative Ro Khanna of California has said he will subpoena Epstein's estate to hand over the book.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rough deal: Social media roasts Trump's golf game after clip appears to show alleged cheating in Scotland
Social media users pounced on a clip that appears to show Donald Trump cheating on the golf course during his ongoing trip to Scotland, the latest in a long line of accusations that the president cheats on the fairway. In the video circulated by liberal commentators, a caddy appears to walk ahead of the golf-loving president in his golf cart and drop a ball behind him as the president approaches. 'Trump working hard to bring down grocery prices,' the caption says, making a satirical reference to the president's campaign promises to tackle inflation and costs 'For the morons that think Trump doesn't cheat at golf and wins all those club championships fair and square….watch his caddie here,' another account wrote. The phrase 'commander in cheat' was soon trending on the social media site. 'The video of Trump's caddy doing an Oddjob Slazenger drop isn't a big deal; cheating at golf isn't nearly the worst thing about Trump,' wrote The Atlantic 's Tom Nichols. 'But watching the cult of personality try to explain it away is really some creepy North Korean level stuff.' The Independent has requested comment from the White House. The president has faced a long list of accusations that he doesn't play fair from figures ranging from actor Samuel Jackson to LPGA player Suzann Pettersen. Trump's alleged cheating, which has always denied, is even the subject of a book: Rick Reilly's Commander in Cheat. 'At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: Pele,' Reilly writes in the book. Controversy has always followed Trump, an avid golfer and developer of golf resorts, when he hits the 18 holes. The president has golfed at least 45 days out of his 189 days in office this year, or roughly 24 percent of his second term thus far. In April, the president faced criticism for attending an event from Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf while missing the return ceremony for the remains of four dead American soldiers. Others have criticized the president's promotion of his business interests on his own properties. During the Scotland trip, Trump met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his Turnberry golf course to announce an EU trade deal, and the president plans to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday for a new course in Aberdeenshire. The White House described the Scotland tour as a 'working trip' while touting that Trump 'has built the best and most beautiful world-class golf courses anywhere in the world, which is why they continue to be used for prestigious tournaments and by the most elite players in the sport.' The president's Mar-a-Lago club and estate in Florida, near one his golf courses, has also emerged as a key hub for lobbying and fundraising, home to visits from tech billionaires and $1-million-per-head fundraising dinners. In the Middle East, meanwhile, the president's family company, the Trump Organization, recently struck a deal to build a golf resort in Qatar, weeks before the nation announced the gift of a $400 million Boeing 747 plane to be used for the new Air Force One. Despite the administration's insistence on cutting government spending, the president has also reportedly drained taxpayers of over $10 million in costs related to his many golf trips, while the Secret Service has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for the use of golf carts and port-a-potties at Trump's New Jersey golf club. Since retaking office, Trump and his family businesses have taken in hundreds of millions of dollars on business ventures including cryptocurrency, real estate, and branded merchandise. 'He is president and is supposed to be working in the public's interest,' James Thurber, an emeritus professor at American University, told The Associated Press last month. 'Instead, he is helping his own personal interest to grow his wealth. It's totally not normal.'
Daily Mirror
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
MIKEY SMITH: 7 unhinged Donald Trump Scotland moments as he moans nobody thanked him for Gaza aid
Donald Trump is still in Scotland, for some reason using it as a base to agree trade deals between the US and other countries Donald Trump is still in Scotland, for some reason using it as a base to agree trade deals between the US and other countries. But at least we're all paying millions of pounds to ensure he can do that - and play some golf - without any pesky protesters bothering him. He welcomed Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, to his Scottish White House - and very rapidly agreed a trade deal with her. Like, in less than an hour. And he, obviously, had another rant about wind farms. Here's everything you need to know about the happenings in Trump World: Scotland. Buckle up. 1. He went golfing with a motorcade of 27 vehicles - including one very special one back out on the course this morning for a chilly second morning of his golf holiday in Scotland. He was seen on his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, being transported between transported between holes in a motorcade of 26 golf carts plus one curious vehicle. This thing appears to be an articulated, secret service golf buggy. Sort of a golf equivalent of the Beast. It has reportedly been dubbed "Golf Force One". His adult sons Eric and Don Jr were both with him on the course. 2. Some British fans came to see him at the golf course. And by some we mean three There was no sign of anti-Trump protesters outside the golf course this morning - three British Trump fans were out on the hill next to Turnberry. They wore Make America Great Again hats, waved small US flags and held a sign that read "Don't trust Starmer". Trump waved and blew a kiss towards the fans before he took his shot. Tom English, one of the group who had travelled from Blackburn, said: "I can't believe we're the only ones, to be fair. I thought there'd be more people." Asked why he'd travelled so far to support the leader of another country, Mr English said: "I've just loved him from day one when he ran. I like the way he speaks, his personality, the comedy gold he comes out with. "He had me at Rosie O'Donnell to be honest with you." Ms O'Donnell has been the target of a long running campaign of abuse by Trump, who earlier this month threatened to revoke her citizenship. "I've supported him all the way through. It's just because he'a not one of them, basically. He came in, said he's going to drain the swamp, end the deep state and that's what he's trying to do." 3. One Brit said he'd totally sussed out Trump's plan for the Epstein files "I can see what's happening," said Tom English, who travelled from Blackburn to see Trump in the flesh. He said he was not bothered by the scandal - here's why. "If you follow Trump from day one, and you know how he works, and you've read his book, The Art of the Deal, and you know he's studied the art of war, then you can see the tactics he's using." Asked what the tactics he's using are, Tom said: "The Dems don't want it releasing. You've got judges and people in congress who don't want the Epstein files releasing for years on end now. "So he says, it's all fake. It's fake news. The Democrats are making it up. "All of a sudden it's the Republicans that are blocking it and the Democrats are voting for it to be released." Still with us? Good. He went on: "Now what will happen is he'll order the MAGA lot to reverse the vote, and they'll be Trump won't be in there. "But his adversaries will. That's my prediction." So, to recap, the whole of the last few weeks, where Trump has been pulling out all the stops to divert attention away from discussions about the Epstein files, has been a massive red herring. It's a sneaky ruse to trick the Democrats into releasing the files - because it's only them who will actually be damaged by them. This seems like a high risk strategy to us, especially considering the weight of evidence and reporting that contradicts every element of it. 4. He threatened to have Beyonce prosecuted Trump posted a massively unhinged rant on Truth Social, during which he threatened to have Beyonce and Oprah Winfrey prosecuted over things that never happened. It comes down to a baseless, evidence-free nonsense conspiracy theory posted online by people who made it up out of thin air, which claims Beyonce charged Kamala Harris $11m for her endorsement, and Oprah claimed £3m for expenses. Trump wrote: "I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!), Three Million Dollars for "expenses," to Oprah, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to very low rated TV "anchor," Al Sharpton (a total lightweight!), and others to be named for doing, absolutely NOTHING! These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records." Not a word of the above sentence (and yes, it is one sentence) is true. He went on: "YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out! Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Nobody did any of this. It was made up. 5. He moaned that he didn't get enough thanks for sending food to Gaza Speaking ahead of his negotiations with Ursula Von der Leyen, Trump admitted he was "not in a good mood." He fumed about America not getting more credit for sending humanitarian aid to Gaza. "We gave $60 million two weeks ago and nobody even acknowledged it, for food," he said. "And it's terrible. You know, you really at least want to have somebody say thankyou. No other country gave anything. We gave $60 million two weeks ago for food for Gaza and nobody acknowledged it." He went on: "And nobody said 'Gee, thankyou very much'. And that would be nice, to have at least a thankyou." Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 6. In case anyone didn't know already, he explicitly gave away why he hates wind turbines so much In his extended disco remix rant ahead of a relatively brief negotiation with Von der Leyon, Trump somehow managed to weave onto talking about wind farms. At length. Again. But in case you were wondering why the subject was on his mind, he gave the game away: "Today, I'm playing the best course I think in the world. Turnberry. "Even though I own it, it's probably the best course in the world. "And I look over the horizon and I see 9 windmills at the end of the 18th. I say, isn't that a shame?" 7. He insists he didn't rush through the EU trade deal to distract from the Epstein scandal We actually kind of believe him on this one. This seems to be a fairly natural reaction.
The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
I'm a top UK cop-turned UFO hunter – here's why Donald Trump is running out of time to ‘come clean' about alien secrets
DONALD Trump should come clean on UFOs before a "catastrophic event", a former British detective has warned. Gary Heseltine believes the US president should disclose the truth before a sighting causes mass panic. 8 8 8 Gary, who probed the 7/7 London bombings for the British Transport Police, is now a leading UFO detective, giving lectures around the world. The 65-year-old, who took early retirement in 2013 to launch his own UFO magazine after 24 years in the force, says it's only a matter of time before an incident would go viral over the internet sparking alarm. And he believes the pressure is growing to reveal the truth after several whistleblowers have come forward to give evidence before the US Congress and a new documentary featuring 34 high level military and government officials - including Senator Marco Rubio - has been released. He said: "With the arrival of President Trump for a second term in the White House many people wondered if he would become the 'Disclosure' President. "This was after many others who would go on to become senior officials in the administration had openly and publicly stated their views on the need for transparency on the UAP issue prior to taking office. "People like Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, Kash Patel, the Director of the FBI and John Ratcliffe, the Director of the CIA. "These people have openly advocated UAP transparency but in the first four months of the administration they have said nothing on the issue publicly. Why not?" With wars waging in Ukraine and the Middle East, Gary believes now would be the right time to admit we are being visited by non human intelligence (NHI) to unite the planet. He adds: "While the new President has walked into several major world issues like the Ukraine/Russia conflict and tensions in the Middle-East with the war with Israel/Palestine and further activity in Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon etc., some might argue that it might be an appropriate time to announce Disclosure. "Such a revelation might galvanise nations away from the polarisation we see currently. Area 51 at risk as huge fire creeps closer to base with black smoke filling air sparking wild UFO conspiracy theories "This may sound fanciful but no-one doubts that as and when Disclosure occurs, that it will be the most profound moment in human history. "UAP are the Elephant in the room, no-one is talking about Non Human Intelligence because there hasn't been a Disclosure announcement, yet, we know from fast developing events in the U.S. that it is seemingly just around the corner. "Whether it is this year or next, the reality is that such an announcement is likely to occur soon and when it does and the reality of NHI sinks in, nothing in politics, the military and life in general will ever quite be the same. "We know that the Five Eyes countries (U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand) have been briefed on UAP activity in May 2023 and perhaps several more countries have been too, but the question is to what level are our military and political leaders informed. While the new President has walked into several major world issues like the Ukraine/Russia conflict and tensions in the Middle-East with the war with Israel/Palestine and further activity in Yemen, Iran, Syria and Lebanon etc., some might argue that it might be an appropriate time to announce Disclosure. Such a revelation might galvanise nations away from the polarisation we see currently. Gary HeseltineEx-cop and UFO expert "It remains a big question, just how much do our political leaders know about the reality of UAP? "I fear that they are vastly under informed and under prepared for an NHI Disclosure world." Gary, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who edits UFO Truth Magazine, is hopeful about a new documentary called Age Of Disclosure - featuring dozens of top officials including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - could bring about "a new dawn in mankind's history." The retired cop said: "After giving it much thought I think 2025 could be a crucial year for the Disclosure issue. By Sayan Bose DONALD Trump vowed last year to reveal exclusive UFO footage if he was elected back to the White House. The Republican presidential candidate said he would push the Pentagon to declassify the alleged UFO sighting videos in a sensational interview. Trump, who went on to trounce Democratic rival Kamla Harris in the presidential elections in November 2024, is known to have a decade-long fascination with aliens and unexplainable sightings. He told popular American podcaster Lex Fridman that he would "surely" make secret footage of alleged UFO sightings public. During the chat, Fridman asked Trump: "Will you help push the Pentagon to release more footage, which a lot of people claim is available?" To which Trump readily agreed and said: "Oh yeah, sure, I'll do that. I would do that. I'd love to do that. I have to do that." The Republican leader also claimed he had faced pressure to declassify previous records of alien encounters as he admitted "there could be life on other planets". He added: "People begged me not to do it but I'll be doing that very early on." "Clearly the Trump administration is not going anywhere near the NHI topic at the moment, so when will the issue be broached? It's a good question. "The Federal Secrets Task Force under the stewardship of Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna was given only a six-month mandate to look at the likes of the JFK, RFK assassinations etc, but it was also supposed to look at UFO/UAP/USOs yet, the latter dates to discuss that have been put back until no-one knows. "If things don't develop soon on that front, then the six months mandate may soon expire. What then? "Approximately two months ago a major new UAP documentary film, 'The Age of Disclosure' premiered at a mid-west film festival and it received very favourable reviews in the mainstream media yet, the roll-out of the film nationwide/worldwide did not follow and has been put on hold. "Why? My guess it is all about timing. "I suspect the volatile situations in Europe and the Middle-East have put paid to addressing the UAP issue for the time being. "I think it will be interesting to see when the film is released, and indeed how it is rolled out. "Some people think it may get a national cinema run which would be very interesting if that occurs. "I believe the documentary may hold the key to a 'Disclosure' moment as it is meant to usher in a new dawn in mankind's history. "Senator Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State for the United States is featured in the film and he is seen as third only to the President and the Vice President in terms of his place in the administration. 8 8 8 "His appearance in the film is bound to be a major talking point for the media. "Whilst I have not seen the film the excellent trailer states that 34 key people appear in it, including several current politicians. "In the film trailer, Jay Stratton, the former head of the UAP Task Force states openly that he has seen NHI craft and Non-Human bodies. That in itself is highly noteworthy. He's never said anything like that publicly before. "In recent months two eminent scientists involved in UAP research for decades have finally revealed things in public for the very first time. "Hal Puthoff, arguably the most important scientist ever to work on the UAP issue, said recently on the Joe Rogan podcast, that the U.S. has 10 NHI craft in its possession. "And only in just the last few weeks, Eric Davis, a scientist who has worked with Puthoff for many years said at a UAP Disclosure Fund event in Congress, that there are four different types of NHI, the Greys, Reptilians, Mantids and Nordics! "What has long been suspected has now been confirmed by one of the world's leading scientists on the UAP issue. His public statement is something of a wow moment for me." 'PHOENIX LIGHTS' Back in March 1997, thousands of people, including Hollywood actor Kurt Russell and a former US governor, witnessed the so-called Phoenix Lights. Some people managed to film the lights using camcorders as camera phones were not available. But smartphones are everywhere now and Gary believes another major event could not be easily hushed up or dismissed by the powers that be like they did before. He said: "I think we are truly at a crossroads on the Disclosure issue. "There is a real chance this year that things will come together and the film 'Age of Disclosure' will be used to support an announcement by President Trump of the reality of NHI. "However, if that does not happen this year then the moment we have all hoped for so long may have been lost for who knows how long and the prospect of 'Catastrophic Disclosure', a term coined by Colonel Karl Nell, may be the only way that the NHI story finally breaks into the mainstream world. What were the Phoenix Lights? The Phoenix Lights were a series of widely sighted unidentified flying objects (UFOs) observed over Arizona and Nevada on March 13, 1997. Thousands of people reported seeing a V-shaped formation of lights moving silently across the sky, and stationary lights in the Phoenix area. While some believe it was a UFO sighting, the official explanation is that they were flares dropped during military exercises. The lights were observed between 7.30 pm and 10.30pm MST, spanning a distance of about 300 miles, from the Nevada border through Phoenix to Tucson. The Air Force stated the lights were flares dropped during military exercises at the Barry M. Goldwater Range near Phoenix. Despite the official explanation, many people believe the lights were a genuine UFO sighting, and the incident has become a significant event in UFO lore. The Phoenix Lights remain a subject of debate and fascination, with many still questioning the official explanation. "Yet 'Catastrophic Disclosure' should be a last resort measure because of the uncertainty such an event may cause. "For decades the forces that have controlled the UAP narrative have risked such an event but were half prepared to combat such a scenario, the risk for panic and alarm is now much higher because of the internet, new technology and the use of social media. "Think about it, everyone carries a smartphone with high quality video cameras and applications that offer immediate 'live streaming'. "I've been saying it for several years that if the 1997 Phoenix Lights event took place now that it would likely cause a 'Catastrophic Disclosure' moment. "Back then the authorities were able to cast doubt on grainy poor quality videos of lights in the sky above the city and they just about managed to 'control' of the media and officials but it was a close shave. "But here is the kicker, I believe that if that same event happened today and was seen by over 50,000 people, and was captured in 4k, 8k video and 'live streamed' within minutes of it occurring the authorities would not have time to contain it. "Such an event would likely go viral across the world on social media in minutes …. and the cat would be out of the bag. "A mile wide craft of unknown origin captured in stark reality over the city of Phoenix and with it 'Catastrophic Disclosure' on an unprepared world. "So this is a choice for our political leaders. I would urge President Trump to inform the world about the reality of NHI soon or risk causing major public panic with a 'Catastrophic Disclosure' event. "The clock is ticking like never before." 8 8
