Donald Trump Hit With Epstein Question During EU Deal Announcement
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President Donald Trump hit back at a reporter who asked a question about Jeffrey Epstein during a news conference announcing a trade framework between the United States and the European Union.
"Mr. President, was part of the rush to get this deal done to knock the Jeffrey Epstein story [out of the headlines]?" the reporter asked during the news conference in Turnberry, Scotland, on Sunday.
"Oh, you gotta be kidding with that," Trump said. "No, had nothing to do with it. Only you would think that. That had nothing to do with it."
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via an email sent outside regular business hours.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press briefing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after agreeing on a trade deal between the two economies following their meeting in Turnberry, Scotland, on...
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press briefing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after agreeing on a trade deal between the two economies following their meeting in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27. More
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Why It Matters
In recent weeks, Trump has struggled to shift the conversation from the Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who authorities said died by suicide behind bars in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The president has faced pressure from his supporters to release the government's files about Epstein, which they believe will reveal a cover-up in the case to protect Epstein's wealthy and powerful friends.
Trump's personal relationship with Epstein has also come under fresh scrutiny. The Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump that his name was in the files during a briefing in May. Trump has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and the inclusion of someone's name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.
What To Know
As he departed the White House for the trip to Scotland on Friday, Trump faced numerous questions about the Epstein case and whether he would pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex offender's imprisoned accomplice.
"People should really focus on how well the country is doing," Trump said in response to one question.
He shut down another, saying, "I don't want to talk about that."
He faced another round of questions as he stepped off Air Force One in Scotland.
"You're making a big thing over something that's not a big thing," he told one reporter. To another, he said, "I'm focused on making deals, not on conspiracy theories that you are."
Previously, the Trump administration had promised to release more documents in the case, including an alleged list of clients involved in Epstein's sex trafficking operation. However, in an unsigned memo issued on July 7, the FBI and the Justice Department said Epstein did not have a list of clients and that no additional records would be released to the public.
Since then, the Trump administration has received a bipartisan backlash and has scrambled to appear transparent, including by seeking the unsealing of grand jury transcripts in the case—which a judge has rejected.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday: "The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America, results of which many are saying is the BEST six months in Presidential history. They have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM."
The Democrats' X account wrote on Saturday, alongside a video detailing Trump's relationship with Epstein: "No matter how much he tries to distract from it, Trump's connection to Jeffrey Epstein spans decades."
Democratic Representative Jason Crow of Colorado said on Fox News Sunday, discussing the Trump administration's allegations that the Obama administration manufactured intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election: "This is being reinvigorated and concocted because Donald Trump doesn't want to talk about the Epstein files. He doesn't want those files released. In fact, I'm sitting here right now instead of in Washington because House Republicans released the Congress. We went on recess early to avoid a vote on releasing the Epstein files."
What Happens Next
Trump is likely to continue receiving questions about the Epstein case. The president is set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday before traveling to Aberdeen, Scotland.
This article contains reporting from the Associated Press.
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