Trump and allies named in new Epstein files

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: The US Department of Justice announced on Friday the release of a huge collection of Jeffrey Epstein files, including more than three million pages; a move that the department said was taken in line with commitments arising from the Transparency Act passed by Congress last year.

 

The huge volume of documents related to the sex offender means that their full review will take a long time.

 

US President Donald Trump's name appears repeatedly in the new collection of documents; documents that range from investigative reports to emails and news clippings.

 

First, a series of emails from August 2025 in which an alleged FBI employee provides a list of allegedly unconfirmed reports about Trump and Epstein, many of them controversial and scandalous in nature.

 

Trump has never been charged by law enforcement with any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has denied any involvement in such activities.

 

It is unclear why authorities compiled a list of allegations involving Trump last year. But the political sensitivities surrounding Trump’s closeness to Epstein, with whom he had a long-term relationship and who reportedly broke off their relationship in the mid-2000s, were revealed last year when Trump at one point mistakenly said he was not named in the files.

 

One of the main reasons for the long wait for the files to be released was the hope that it would identify other people who might have been involved in Epstein’s crimes. Only Gillian Maxwell (Epstein’s partner) was charged, but many Americans believe others were involved.

 

A draft indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in the 2000s charged Epstein with three other individuals (whose names were redacted) who were described primarily as facilitators of meetings between Epstein and teenage girls.

 

The document states that they all conspired to “induce, encourage, and entice persons under the age of 18 to engage in prostitution.”

 

The new documents could be problematic for some figures, including prominent Trump allies who have tried to distance themselves from Epstein, CNN reported.

 

The documents show that Howard Lutnick, the Trump administration’s commerce secretary, was planning a trip to Epstein’s island in 2012, years after he said he had cut ties with Epstein.

 

Lutnick said in a podcast last year that he and his wife decided to cut ties with Epstein around 2005. But an email from 2012 shows him asking where Epstein was so they could meet for a meal.

 

Another email shows Lutnick inviting Epstein (through his assistant) to a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2015. It is not clear whether Epstein attended.

 

The documents also show that tech billionaire Elon Musk attempted to make trips to Epstein’s island in 2012 and 2013, despite previously saying he had declined Epstein’s invitations.

 

On November 24, 2012, Epstein emails Musk and asks, “How many people are you going to have for the helicopter flight to the island?” Musk replies, “Probably just him and his then-wife.”

 

The documents also contain significant references to Bill Clinton, including Epstein’s 2016 deposition, where he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment (right to remain silent) when asked about Clinton.

 

Clinton’s spokeswoman has repeatedly said she broke off the relationship before Epstein was indicted in 2006 and had no knowledge of his crimes, and has denied traveling to Epstein’s island.

 

The documents also reveal an extensive relationship between Epstein and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, which could increase pressure to explain the relationship.