US President Donald Trump on Monday cautioned that individuals who merely “innocently met” convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the past could see their reputations unfairly damaged by the public release of investigative records linked to the case.
Speaking for the first time since the Justice Department began making the Epstein-related files public on Friday, Trump downplayed the controversy, arguing that it was being used to divert attention from what he described as major accomplishments by his party.
“This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has,” he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Asked to react to former president Bill Clinton’s appearance in several photographs contained in the initial batch of materials released by the Justice Department, Trump struck a conciliatory tone.
“I like Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I hate to see photos come out of him,” he said.
“There’s photos of me too,” Trump added. “Everybody was friendly with this guy (Epstein).”
The president said he was uncomfortable with the circulation of images showing Clinton and others, describing the situation as a “terrible thing.”
“Bill Clinton’s a big boy, he can handle it,” he remarked.
Trump went on to warn that the release could implicate many other prominent figures who had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes beyond casual or social encounters years earlier.
“But you probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago, many years ago, and they’re highly respected bankers and lawyers and others,” he said.
According to Trump, the disclosure of such images has sparked anger among those who believe innocent people are being unfairly associated with Epstein.
The Republican president said a “lot of people are very angry that pictures are being released of other people that really had nothing to do with Epstein.
“But they’re in a picture with him because he was at a party and you ruin a reputation of somebody,” he said.
Epstein, a wealthy financier with extensive social and political connections, died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, in a death that was officially ruled a suicide.
What you should know
Jeffrey Epstein was a powerful financier whose social circle included politicians, business leaders and celebrities, making his case one of the most controversial in recent US history.
The release of investigative files has renewed public scrutiny of those linked to him, even indirectly. While the documents do not automatically imply wrongdoing, the presence of photographs and names has raised concerns about reputational damage.
President Trump’s remarks reflect a broader debate over transparency versus fairness, as authorities balance public interest with the risk of unfairly associating individuals with Epstein’s crimes.
