Newly released Jeffrey Epstein files include references to President Donald Trump

The United States Department of Justice has released a large new set of documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein that includes multiple references to President Donald Trump. The latest release is part of a mandated transparency effort under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and represents the most voluminous tranche of records made public so far. The documents consist of nearly 30,000 pages of court records, internal communications, emails, flight records, photographs and other investigative material connected to Epstein’s network and the long-running federal inquiry into sex trafficking and related misconduct. The new files stand out because they contain numerous mentions of Trump, marking a shift from earlier releases that included only a few references to the former president.

Among the materials are internal emails from federal prosecutors indicating that Trump appeared on flight logs from Epstein’s private jet substantially more often during the 1990s than previously reported. One note from a Southern District of New York prosecutor states that Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times between 1993 and 1996, including at least one trip on which an unnamed 20-year-old woman also was aboard. Some of these flights also included Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted accomplice. The documents also show that the Trump Organization’s Mar-a-Lago club was subpoenaed in 2021 for employment records relevant to the government’s case against Maxwell.

In addition to flight logs and internal correspondence, the release briefly included a handwritten letter allegedly from Epstein to former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar that referenced Trump. The Justice Department and the FBI have since confirmed that the letter is fake, based on forensic analysis showing mismatched handwriting and a postmark dated days after Epstein’s death, and emphasised that inclusion in the files does not make any claim factual. The department also stated that some of the allegations about Trump contained in the documents are unfounded and sensationalist and were submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election.

Officials and legal analysts have stressed that while Trump’s name appears in association with these records, none of the new documents present evidence that he engaged in or was involved in Epstein’s criminal activities. Trump himself has responded to the disclosure by criticizing the release and asserting that his interactions with Epstein were from decades ago and do not imply wrongdoing. The broader trove continues to draw scrutiny from lawmakers, media and advocacy groups demanding further transparency into Epstein’s network of associates and the full scope of the government’s investigative files.