Fact Check: Real 1997 photo of Trump and Epstein together thrown into new light by X post from Musk

Yahoo

2 days ago

Claim:
A photo authentically depicts Donald Trump and financier Jeffrey Epstein together in 1997.
Rating:
In the midst of a rapid and increasingly public deterioration of the relationship between tech billionaire Elon Musk, who days earlier departed his role as White House adviser, and U.S. President Donald Trump, the former claimed on X (archived) in June 2025 that Trump was included in the only partially released government files on sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, reigniting interest in Trump's involvement with Epstein, who died in 2019.
One commenter, for example, responded to Musk's post (archived) with a photo appearing to depict Trump and Epstein together, captioned: "THIS IS REAL THEN??"
(X user @gurgavin)
The photo, taken on Jan. 1, 1997, does authentically depict Trump and Epstein. It was not generated using artificial-intelligence (AI) software or otherwise digitally altered. The photo can be found on Getty Images, published by Davidoff Studios Photography. It's captioned:
Portrait of American financier Jeffrey Epstein (left) and real estate developer Donald Trump as they pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, 1997. (Photo by)
A second, similar photo of the pair was also published by Getty Images.
The relationship between Trump and Epstein has long been the focus of intense scrutiny, given they shared a social circle in both New York and Florida.
"I've known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy," Trump is famously quoted as saying of Epstein in an interview for New York Magazine in 2002. "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. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
Another photo, taken on Feb. 12, 2000, authentically depicts (from left to right) Trump, his future wife Melania Trump (Melania Knavs at the time), Epstein, and his longtime partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted of sex-trafficking underage girls.
That picture can also be found on Getty Images, published by Davidoff Studios. It's captioned:
Trump, Knauss, Epstein, & Maxwell At Mar-A-Lago
From left, American real estate developer Donald Trump and his girlfriend (and future wife), former model Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000. (Photo by)
(Getty Images)
However, following Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex offenses and new charges for sex trafficking, and Trump's foray into politics, the friendship apparently waned.
On July 9, 2019, the day after Epstein appeared in court for the second time on charges of sexual abuse of underage girls, Trump told reporters: "I had a falling out a long time ago with him. I don't think I've spoken to him in 15 years." He continued: "I was not a fan of his." Epstein hanged himself in jail while awaiting trial on the sex-trafficking charges.
We've previously reported on other images depicting the two men, including one that was AI-generated and another that was doctored.
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'Portrait of American Financier Jeffrey Epstein and Real Estate...' Getty Images, 10 May 2017, https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/portrait-of-american-financier-jeffrey-epstein-and-real-news-photo/681946576.
Shoaib, Alia. 'Jeffrey Epstein Believed He Could Make a Deal with Prosecutors by Revealing the Secrets of Donald Trump or Bill Clinton, a New Book Says'. Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/jeffrey-epstein-trump-or-clinton-secrets-were-basis-for-deal-book-say-2021-10. Accessed 21 Dec. 2023.