Donald Trump has made a major U-turn after the US Justice Department and FBI said there was no evidence of an 'Epstein client list' earlier this month.
Conspiracy theorists have long claimed that the alleged list was thought to implicate high-profile associates who travelled to Epstein's apparent underage sex-trafficking island.
The financier, 66, a convicted sex offender who was on trial for sex trafficking, was found hanged in a New York prison cell in 2019.
His death was ruled as a suicide, although not everyone is convinced.
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If you're wondering how Trump comes into all of this, well, the US President was said to be on friendly terms with Epstein prior to his first charge in 2006.
Here's everything we know about Trump and Epstein's relationship, and the drama that was soon to follow:
The 1990s - Trump and Epstein first meet
They first met in the early 1990s, moving in the same elite Palm Beach social circles. In 2002, Trump called Epstein a 'terrific guy' in a quote published by New York Magazine.
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After Epstein's controversial death in 2019, however, Trump backtracked and said he was 'not a fan' of the businessman.
Fast forward to this week, while in his second term of presidency, the Republican leader ordered a motion to seek a court order to unseal transcripts from Epstein’s 2007–08 Florida case, not including the 'non-existent' files.
He called media coverage 'ridiculous' but said Americans deserve the truth.
14 July, 2025 - Republicans block release of files
So the House Rules Committee voted to strip an amendment from a crypto regulation bill that would have forced the DOJ to release all Epstein-related documents.
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Despite Trump’s past promises to make everything public, Republicans have said to close ranks to prevent forced transparency.
Although Rep. Ralph Norman said: "The public’s been asking for it."
15 July, 2025 - House Speaker urges full release of files in shock move
Speaker Mike Johnson publicly called for all Epstein records to be made public. He said Attorney General Pam Bondi “should release everything” and end speculation.
17 July, 2025 — Wall Street Journal publishes alleged Trump–Epstein birthday letter from 2003
The Wall Street Journal shared an alleged letter written by Trump to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.
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According to the outlet, the letter was framed with a crude sketch of a naked woman and included the line: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Later that day, Trump directed AG Pam Bondi to seek a court order to unseal grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s 2007–08 Florida case.
18 July, 2025 - Trump calls birthday letter 'fake' and threatens a lawsuit
Trump denied authoring the birthday letter, calling it 'fake' and penning on Truth Social: "This is not me. This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women. It's not my language. It's not my words."
He then threatened legal action by stating: "I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I'm going to sue his a** off, and that of his third rate newspaper."
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Trump also repeated his claim that the entire Epstein controversy is an 'elaborate hoax'.
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Anish Vij