Short Answer
In 2002, Trump told New York magazine that Epstein was a “terrific guy” who he had known for 15 years and who liked “beautiful women” on the younger side. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Trump stated he had a falling out with Epstein “many years ago” and claimed not to know him well. The record indicates a longstanding social relationship.
In Detail
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein moved in overlapping elite New York social circles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Both owned Palm Beach properties — Trump owns Mar-a-Lago — and both frequented the same events, clubs, and parties.
The 2002 Statement
The most-quoted Trump statement about Epstein appeared in New York magazine in October 2002. Trump described Epstein as “a terrific guy” and said: “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen 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. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.” This statement, made well before the Palm Beach investigation began, became significant after the abuse became public.
Flight Logs
Flight logs from Epstein’s aircraft show Trump flew on the plane a small number of times in the early 1990s, on domestic routes. This is a fraction of the hundreds of flights in the logs. Trump is not documented as having visited Epstein’s islands or properties regularly.
Post-Arrest Distancing
After Epstein’s July 2019 arrest, Trump stated at a White House press availability: “I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him… He was a fixture in Palm Beach. I had a falling out with him. I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years.” He described Epstein as not a “fan” of his.
2024-2025 Documents
As president again from 2025, Trump’s administration took positions on whether further documents in the Epstein case would be released. His supporters and critics have differed sharply on whether released documents reflected on Trump personally.