What has Musk accused Trump of in relation to the Epstein files?
The tech billionaire and owner of Tesla and Starlink, Elon Musk, has accused United States President Donald Trump of being one of the names in the still-sealed Epstein files, and claims that this is the real reason key documents are still being withheld from the public.
In January 2024, many of the so-called 'Epstein files' compiled by US federal investigators were released to the public. However, some remained sealed.
Trump's presidency began with a strong boost from Musk, who donated large sums to Trump's presidential campaign and was appointed to lead a newly formed federal agency aimed at streamlining government operations, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But that relationship fractured after Musk resigned from the role in May 2025, following mounting public backlash over fiscal policies and a sharp decline in Tesla's stock.
Since then, Musk has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of Trump, calling his 'One Big Beautiful Bill' a 'disgusting abomination' for increasing the national debt and eliminating electric vehicle subsidies, and, now, accusing him of links to Epstein.
Here's what we know about the Epstein files and Musk's accusations.
The 'Epstein files' are a collection of documents compiled by US federal authorities during investigations into the activities of Jeffrey Epstein, the now-deceased financier and convicted sex offender.
These files include flight logs, contact lists, court records and other materials documenting his activities and associations with high-profile individuals.
The first major release of the documents took place in January 2024, when a federal judge ordered the unsealing of records from a 2015 defamation lawsuit against Epstein's associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In February 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) followed up with an official declassification of additional documents, many of which had already leaked, featuring redacted flight logs and contact books.
However, many documents remain sealed or heavily redacted, prompting public calls for full disclosure.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the FBI is reviewing tens of thousands of documents, with further releases pending necessary redactions to protect victims and ongoing investigations.
On Thursday, Musk publicly accused President Donald Trump of being named in the unreleased Epstein files.
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk wrote: '@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' He did not provide any evidence to support this claim.Trump has not directly addressed Musk's claim regarding the Epstein files.
However, during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Thursday, Trump said he was 'very disappointed' by Musk's criticism of the fiscal bill and suggested that Musk's opposition was down to the elimination of electric vehicle subsidies.
'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!' Trump wrote in a social media post on Thursday.
Trump also threatened to terminate federal contracts and subsidies for Musk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, stating that this would save the US government billions of dollars.
Trump and Epstein were acquaintances in the 1980s and 1990s, often seen at social occasions together in New York and Palm Beach, Florida. Their appearances together were documented in news coverage and social pages at the time, while US media reported the two became close during the 1990s when Epstein bought a mansion near Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound in Palm Beach.
A 1992 video published by NBC News shows Trump and Epstein socialising and watching dancers at a party hosted at Mar-a-Lago.
In a 2002 profile of Epstein by New York Magazine, Trump was quoted describing Epstein as a 'terrific guy' who enjoyed the company of beautiful women 'on the younger side'.
'I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. 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,' Trump said.
Flight logs released during court proceedings against Maxwell show that Trump flew on Epstein's private jet at least seven times between 1993 and 1997, occasionally with family members.
Epstein's 'Black Book' – a contact directory obtained in 2015 by Gawker, a now-defunct US blog that covered celebrities and media – was later submitted as court evidence and listed multiple phone numbers and addresses for Trump, including his office, home and Mar-a-Lago.
Once allies, Musk's relationship with Trump has deteriorated significantly since his criticism of Trump's fiscal policy and subsequent allegations about the Epstein files.
Trump's threats to cut federal contracts with Musk's companies led to a 14 percent drop in Tesla's stock value. Musk has since called for Trump's impeachment and replacement with US Vice President JD Vance.
This public spat has also drawn attention from political figures, with some Democrats demanding the release of the full Epstein files and questioning whether they are being withheld due to potential implications for Trump.
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