Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee have released a new batch of email exchanges involving Jeffrey Epstein, offering additional insight into Epstein’s extensive communication network prior to his 2019 death. The emails include references to former President Donald Trump, though Trump himself did not send or receive any of the messages and has not been accused of wrongdoing in the newly released documents.
What the Newly Released Emails Contain
According to committee members, one email allegedly shows Epstein telling Ghislaine Maxwell that Donald Trump “spent hours” at his residence with one of Epstein’s victims.
Another email from Epstein to author Michael Wolff includes the statement that Trump “knew about the girls,” implying that Trump may have been aware of Epstein’s misconduct.
These statements have not been independently verified.
White House and Republican Response
The White House criticized the document release, calling it a “hoax” and accusing Democratic members of attempting to craft a “fake narrative” to distract from the administration’s policy achievements.
Republicans on the Oversight Committee pushed back as well, releasing thousands of their own documents and accusing Democrats of trying to “slander” the former president.
What Trump Has Said Previously
Donald Trump has publicly stated that he distanced himself from Epstein years ago after Epstein “stole” young women who worked at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago spa.
The White House identified Virginia Giuffre — who died by suicide in April — as the “victim” referenced in the emails. No evidence has been provided showing Trump was aware of any misconduct involving her.
Background: Epstein and Maxwell
Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2020 for participating in Epstein’s scheme to exploit and abuse minors.
Additional Email Exchanges
Another set of emails released by House Democrats includes an August 2018 exchange between Epstein and former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler. They discussed a New York Times op-ed by Bret Stephens titled “Donald Trump’s High Crimes and Misdemeanors”, which argued that Trump could face impeachment over hush money payments linked to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump was later convicted in New York for falsifying records related to those payments.
In the email, Epstein speculated about the legality of the payments and suggested Trump’s accountant may have cooperated with investigators. Ruemmler responded that the issue was not the source of the money, but Trump’s alleged failure to properly disclose the arrangement.
Epstein’s Comments on Trump and Dershowitz
In a separate December 2018 email to former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, Epstein referred to Trump as “borderline insane” and described lawyer Alan Dershowitz as “a few feet further from the border.”
Media Reaction
Author Michael Wolff, whose name appears in the released emails, spoke hours before publication on a podcast discussing what might be contained in the files. He suggested the documents might reveal how Epstein viewed Trump and others within his orbit, though he did not claim firsthand knowledge of the emails’ contents.
What This Release Means Going Forward
The newly made public emails add to the extensive pool of materials collected from Jeffrey Epstein’s communications.
However:
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No charges have been brought against Donald Trump in connection with the emails.
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Trump did not send or receive any of the messages.
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The claims made by Epstein within the emails remain unverified statements from a now-deceased individual.
The House Oversight Committee is expected to continue reviewing additional materials, and both political parties have signaled they will continue releasing documents supporting their respective positions.
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