Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he 'stole people
that worked for me'
[July 29, 2025]
By
DARLENE SUPERVILLE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that he ended his
friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and threw the now-disgraced financier
out of his private club in Florida after Epstein betrayed him more than
once by hiring people who had worked for him.
Trump did not say what his employees did or where they worked, and the
White House declined further comment. But the White House had previously
offered a different explanation for the falling-out. Steven Cheung, the
White House communications director, said in a statement last week: “The
fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a
creep.”
Epstein killed himself, authorities say, in a New York jail cell in 2019
as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump and his top allies
stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death before Trump returned
to power. They are now struggling to manage the fallout after the
Justice Department said Epstein did, in fact, die by suicide and that it
would not release additional documents about the case.
The president and his allies, some of whom are now in the
administration, had promised to release the files.
The case has dogged Trump at home and abroad and even followed Vice
President JD Vance during an appearance in his home state of Ohio on
Monday. A small group of protesters assembled outside a factory in
Canton that Vance toured, holding signs that spelled out “JD Protects
Pedophiles” and indicating that “GOP” stands for “Guardians Of
Pedophiles.”
The Republican president spoke at his golf property in Turnberry,
Scotland, as he sat with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the
leaders had met and were answering questions from U.S. and U.K.
journalists. Asked to explain why the relationship had faltered, Trump
said, “That's such old history, very easy to explain, but I don't want
to waste your time by explaining it.”
He then explained, saying he stopped talking to Epstein after “he did
something that was inappropriate.”
“He hired help and I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again,’” Trump said. “He
stole people that worked for me. I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He
did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata.”
“I threw him out and that was it. I’m glad I did, if you want to know
the truth,” Trump added.
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A photograph of US President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is
displayed on the side of a van in Aberdeen city centre, during US
President Donald Trump's five-day private trip to Scotland, Monday,
July 28, 2025. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)
Trump recently directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the public
release of sealed grand jury transcripts in the case. One federal judge
has denied that request; a second judge has yet to rule.
Vance on Monday visited the factory to promote Trump's tax cut and
border bill, but also addressed the Epstein matter, saying the president
wants “full transparency” in the case.
“The president has been very clear. We're not shielding anything,” Vance
said in response to a reporter's question. “The president has directed
the attorney general to release all credible information and, frankly,
to go and find additional credible information related to the Jeffrey
Epstein case.”
“Some of that stuff takes time,” Vance said, adding that Trump has been
“very clear. He wants full transparency.”
Trump had said back in 2019 that Epstein was a fixture in Palm Beach but
that the two had had a falling-out a long time ago and he hadn't spoken
with Epstein for 15 years.
Trump on Monday also denied contributing to a compilation of letters and
drawings to mark Epstein's 50th birthday, first reported on by the Wall
Street Journal. The newspaper said the letter, believed to be from
Trump, included a drawing of a woman's body.
“I'm not a drawing person,” Trump said. “I don't do drawings of women,
that I can tell you.”
Trump also said he declined Epstein's invitation to visit a private
island the financier owned.
“I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it
down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island,”
Trump said. “In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn't
want to go to his island.”
___
Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Canton, Ohio, contributed to
this report.
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