Latest news with #sexTrafficking
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Yikes': Critics Claim Trump Let Out Epic 'Freudian Slip' About Jeffrey Epstein
President Donald Trump on Monday denied ever visiting a private island belonging to late sex offender and his former friend Jeffrey Epstein. But Trump's critics are focusing on two unusual words he used when describing a potential trip to the infamous island: 'the privilege.' Trump was asked about why he kicked Epstein out of his private club some two decades ago, after the two had a falling out and before Epstein's first conviction in 2008. The president called it 'such old history' and said Epstein 'did something that was inappropriate.' The 'inappropriate' behavior was hiring some of Trump's staff. 'He stole people that work for me,' Trump said. 'I said, 'Don't ever do that again.' He did it again, and I threw him out of the place. Person non grata. I threw him out, and that was it. I'm glad I did.' But then he added unprompted that he never visited Little Saint James, Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands and one alleged scene in his child sex trafficking operation. 'And by the way, I never went to the island,' Trump said, while accusing others of doing so. 'I've, I never had the privilege of going to his island.' The island is just one of the homes owned by Epstein; many of the abuse allegations the late financier was charged with took place in Palm Beach, Florida, as The Miami Herald reported in 2018. 'Authorities suspect that he molested hundreds of girls over a five- or six-year period in Palm Beach alone and possibly operated an international sex-trafficking organization around the world,' Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown told NPR. And it was the president's two words about the island that drew criticism on social media, with many shocked he would refer to 'the privilege' of visiting it while denying he had done so: They're calling it the most well handled freudian slip in history — Isaac (@GalaxyPeaBrain) July 28, 2025 'I never had the privilege of going to Epstein Island.' - TrumpYikes man. — Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) July 28, 2025 top 3 freudian slip in history? — brandon* (@brndxix) July 28, 2025 Let's get Trump's position on Epstein straight:> Going to the sex-trafficking island would have been a "privilege."> The REAL crime Epstein committed was poaching his man is a monster and a moron. — Adam Mockler🇺🇸🦅 (@adammocklerr) July 28, 2025 I'm so tired, dude. 🙃 If a serial killer Freudian slipped up like this during an FBI interview, they'd call it a confession. He can literally just say whatever he wants, and there will never ever ever ever be consequences. This is fucked up and weird, and nothing will happen. — 🎃☠️ Scarlet Whit🦇🕸 (@WhitneyPuppy) July 28, 2025 This guy sus as hell.. — Rep. Jimmy Gomez (@RepJimmyGomez) July 28, 2025 In this clip, Donald Trump says he 'never had the 'privilege' of going to Epstein Island.'NEVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE?WHAT? — Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) July 28, 2025 Today Trump said 'I never had the privilege of going to [Epstein's] island.' So now everyone should be looking into if/when Trump went to the can we all agree that the way Trump said this was beyond disturbing?Don't forget to subscribe: — Scott Dworkin (@funder) July 29, 2025 We live in a world where the sitting president can say 'I never had the PRIVILEGE of going to the evil ass pedophile super rape island' and nobody bats an eye — Wemby Central 👽 (@WembyCentral) July 28, 2025 'I never had the privilege of going to the island' and 'I turned it down' … are in direct conflict. Incredible that these are sentences come one after the not sure I'd call going to an island where crimes against children took place a 'privilege' — Brandon Richards 🐻 (@BrandonRichards) July 28, 2025 Trump on Epstein: I never went to the island. I never had the privilege of going to the island. I turned it — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) July 28, 2025 The 'privilege'? — B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) July 28, 2025 "The privilege" is crazy. — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 28, 2025 'Privilege' — Static (@MightBeStatic) July 28, 2025 All the "best" words: In an insane moment, Donald Trump appears to lament with the most bizarre choice of words, saying "I never had the privilege of going to his island."He called a trip to Epstein's Island "a privilege." — Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) July 28, 2025
The Australian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Australian
Trump says he turned down an offer to visit Jeffrey Epstein's private island
Donald Trump says he turned down an offer to travel to Jeffrey Epstein's private island, where the convicted sex offender was known to have abused underage girls, describing it as 'one of my very good moments.' The US President was forced to explain – on the world stage – the nature of his own relationship with the disgraced financier, who committed suicide in 2019 at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in New York where he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Elements of the MAGA base have turned on Mr Trump after his administration refused to release the files from the investigation into Epstein and dismissed the existence of a 'client list', with the President describing the issue as a 'hoax'. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry resort on the west coast of Scotland, Mr Trump explained that he fell out with Epstein and banned him from his Mar-a-Lago resort because he 'stole people that worked for me'. He also made clear that he never travelled to Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands. 'I never went to the island,' Mr Trump said. 'And Bill Clinton went there supposedly 28 times. I never went to the island, but (former US Treasury secretary) Larry Summers I hear went there … and many other people that are very big people. Nobody ever talks about them. I never had the privilege of going to his island. And I did turn it down. 'In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn't want to go to his island.' Mr Trump has become increasingly frustrated at the ongoing interest in his connections with Epstein and the interest in the 'Epstein files', declaring 'I haven't been overly interested in it. It's a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion'. The President said that if there was anything that reflected negatively on him in the Epstein files, the previous administration would have released it all before the last election. 'Those files were run by the worst scum on Earth,' Mr Trump said. 'They were run by (former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James) Comey. They were run by (former US attorney-general Merrick) Garland. They were run by (former president Joe) Biden. And all of the people that actually ran the government including the autopen. 'Those files were run for four years by those people. If they had anything I assume they would have released it. If they had anything why didn't they use it when I was killing Joe (Biden)? … If there was anything in there, they would have used them for the election.' Mr Trump said people were not buying into the issue, arguing that his poll numbers had gone up since his handling of the Epstein matter had come into public focus. He also continued to reject the substance of a report carried in The Wall Street Journal that said he penned a bawdy letter for an album marking Epstein's 50th birthday and contributed what also appeared to be the hand-drawn outline of a naked woman. The letter was reported to have concluded: 'Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.' Mr Trump, who is suing The Wall Street Journal for $US10bn ($15.3bn) over the story, continued to defend himself and declared that 'I don't do drawings'. 'I'm not a drawing person … I don't do drawings of women, that I can tell you. They say there's a drawing of a woman and I don't do drawings of women,' he said. 'Also, Epstein was always a very controversial guy. I was at a very high position. Pretty much all my life in all fairness. I've been doing this for a long time. I had the top show on television. I have the number one bestsellers. I had everything, right? And I was a very successful business guy. Who would do a controversial drawing? 'Now, with that being said, they say there were many letters done by many people.' Asked why he banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago resort at Florida's Palm Beach, Mr Trump said it was 'such old history. Very easy to explain. But I don't want to waste your time by explaining it'. 'For years I wouldn't talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn't talk. Because he did something that was inappropriate,' Mr Trump said. 'He hired help. And I said to him, 'don't ever do that again'. He stole people that worked for me. I said, 'don't ever do that again'. He did it again. And I threw him out of the place, persona non grata … I'm glad I did, if you want to know the truth.' In Florida, lawyers for Mr Trump asked a federal judge to expedite a deposition of Rupert Murdoch in the President's $10bn defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, citing the media baron's advanced age. His legal team asked District Judge Darrin Gayles to compel an 'expedited deposition'. Judge Gayles gave lawyers for Mr Murdoch until August 4 to respond. Read related topics: Donald Trump
CTV News
a day ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me'
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to the media as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf club in Turnberry, Scotland, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Christopher Furlong/Pool Photo via AP) WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he ended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and threw the now-disgraced financier out of his private club in Florida after Epstein betrayed him more than once by hiring people who had worked for him. Trump did not say what his employees did or where they worked, and the White House declined further comment. But the White House had previously offered a different explanation for the falling-out. Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, said in a statement last week: 'The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep.' Epstein killed himself, authorities say, in a New York jail cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump and his top allies stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein's death before Trump returned to power and are now struggling to manage the fallout after the Justice Department said Epstein did in fact die by suicide and that it would not release additional documents about the case. The president and his allies, some of whom are now in the administration, had promised to release the files. The case has dogged Trump at home and abroad and even followed Vice President JD Vance during an appearance in his home state of Ohio on Monday. A small group of protesters assembled outside a factory in Canton that Vance toured, holding signs that spelled out 'JD Protects Pedophiles' and indicating that 'GOP' stands for 'Guardians Of Pedophiles.' The Republican president spoke at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland, as he sat with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the leaders had met and were answering questions from U.S. and U.K. journalists. Asked to explain why the relationship had faltered, Trump said, 'That's such old history, very easy to explain, but I don't want to waste your time by explaining it.' He then explained, saying he stopped talking to Epstein after 'he did something that was inappropriate.' 'He hired help and I said, `Don't ever do that again,'' Trump said. 'He stole people that worked for me. I said, `Don't ever do that again.' He did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata.' 'I threw him out and that was it. I'm glad I did, if you want to know the truth,' Trump added. Trump recently directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the public release of sealed grand jury transcripts in the case. One federal judge has denied that request; a second judge has yet to rule. Vance on Monday visited the factory to promote Trump's tax cut and border bill, but also addressed the Epstein matter, saying the president wants 'full transparency' in the case. 'The president has been very clear. We're not shielding anything,' Vance said in response to a reporter's question. 'The president has directed the attorney general to release all credible information and, frankly, to go and find additional credible information related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.' 'Some of that stuff takes time,' Vance said, adding that Trump has been 'very clear. He wants full transparency.' Trump had said back in 2019 that Epstein was a fixture in Palm Beach but that the two had had a falling-out a long time ago and he hadn't spoken with Epstein for 15 years. Trump on Monday also denied contributing to a compilation of letters and drawings to mark Epstein's 50th birthday, first reported on by the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper said the letter believed to be from Trump included a drawing of a woman's body. 'I don't do drawings of women, that I can tell you,' Trump said. ------ Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Canton, Ohio, contributed to this report. Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Trump says he turned down invitation to Epstein's island
US president Donald Trump said on Monday he "never had the privilege" of visiting Jeffrey Epstein's island, saying he turned down an invitation from the convicted sex offender in what the president called a moment of good judgement. Mr Trump's remarks were his latest effort to distance himself from the political furore over his administration's handling of files related to Epstein's case and renewed questions over his past relationship with the disgraced financier, who died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019. Advertisement "I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down," Mr Trump told reporters during a trip to Scotland. "In one of my very good moments, I turned it down." Epstein owned a private island in the US Virgin Islands where he entertained prominent people from politics, business and entertainment. Prosecutors have alleged he used the compound to conceal the sex trafficking and abuse of underage victims. Mr Trump, who socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, also offered new insight into why their relationship ended. The president said he cut ties after Epstein attempted to recruit staff who worked for Mr Trump. "He hired help. And I said, 'Don't ever do that again.' He stole people that work for me," Mr Trump said. "He did it again. And I threw him out of the place persona non grata." Advertisement Last week, White House communications director Steven Cheung said Mr Trump had cut ties with Epstein because he regarded him as a "creep". The White House has been under growing pressure from Mr Trump's supporters and political opponents to release more information about the Justice Department's investigation into Epstein. US president Donald Trump (R) and Britain's prime minister Keir Starmer (L) arrive at Trump MacLeod House & Lodge Trump on the Trump International Estate in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, north east Scotland, on July 28th, 2025. Photo by Jane Barlow/Poll/AFP via Getty Images After attorney general Pam Bondi earlier this year promised to release additional materials related to possible Epstein clients and the circumstances surrounding his death, the Justice Department reversed course this month and issued a memo concluding there was no basis to continue investigating and no evidence of a client list. Those findings sparked an angry outcry from some of Mr Trump's supporters who have long believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful. Advertisement Mr Trump's efforts to deflect attention from the case have so far faltered. On Monday, the president again called the story "a hoax". "It's a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion," Mr Trump said, saying Democrats controlled the Epstein files for several years and would have used them against him during the last presidential election if there was anything in them. Mr Trump flew with Epstein aboard his plane at least six times, according to logs for flights spanning from 1991 through 2005. None of those trips were to Epstein's private island. Mr Trump has denied ever being on the plane and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Trump says he turned down invitation to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's island
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he 'never had the privilege' of visiting Jeffrey Epstein's island, saying he turned down an invitation from the convicted sex offender in what the president called a moment of good judgment. Trump's remarks were his latest effort to distance himself from the political furore over his administration's handling of files related to Epstein's case and renewed questions over his past relationship with the disgraced financier, who died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019. 'I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down,' Trump told reporters during a trip to Scotland. 'In one of my very good moments, I turned it down.' Epstein owned a private island in the US Virgin Islands where he entertained prominent people from politics, business and entertainment. Prosecutors have alleged he used the compound to conceal the sex trafficking and abuse of underage victims. Trump, who socialised with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, also offered new insight into why their relationship ended. The president said he cut ties after Epstein attempted to recruit staff who worked for Trump.
