Clinton and Trump's Statements on Epstein Relationship

Former President Clinton has maintained that he never visited the islands connected to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, nor was he aware of Epstein's criminal activities. He has expressed regret for ever having met Epstein. When questioned about accusations made by Mr. Trump, an aide to Mr. Clinton reiterated the initial denial, emphasizing that Mr. Clinton had not been in contact with Epstein for two decades.

In 2002, Mr. Clinton traveled on a private jet owned by Mr. Epstein during a visit to Africa, an event that garnered significant media attention. However, neither prosecutors nor officials have linked the former president to any of the criminal allegations against Epstein. Notably, between 1993 and 1997, while Mr. Trump and Epstein maintained a friendly relationship, Mr. Trump's name appeared in Epstein's flight logs on seven occasions.

During a recent appearance, Mr. Trump provided a different explanation for the end of his relationship with Epstein, contradicting a previous statement from the White House. Initially, aides had stated that Mr. Trump banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club due to Epstein's behavior. However, Mr. Trump now claims that Epstein was blacklisted for hiring away some of Mr. Trump's employees.

Mr. Trump stated that he had ceased contact with Jeffrey Epstein for years, citing Epstein's inappropriate actions. He explained that Epstein had hired away his employees, and after being warned not to repeat the behavior, did so again, leading to Epstein's expulsion from the premises.

The specific employees Mr. Trump was referring to remained unclear, and the White House did not immediately provide further details. Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein's sex-trafficking ring, had stated that she was recruited into Epstein's world while working at Mar-a-Lago.