• Trump said Monday he was never friendly with Jeffrey Epstein, contradicting his 2002 description of the financier as terrific guy and lot of fun to be with
• The Department of Justice released millions of pages of Epstein files on Jan. 30 but failed to redact nude images of young women and teenagers
• Trump’s name appears more than 5,300 times in the files, which include disturbing and unverified allegations that the president denies

WASHINGTON (TDR) — President Donald Trump denied Monday that he was ever friendly with Jeffrey Epstein, directly contradicting his previous characterization of the convicted sex trafficker as a terrific guy who was a lot of fun to be with. The statement came as the Department of Justice released millions of pages of Epstein-related files containing over 5,300 references to Trump, including disturbing and unverified allegations that the president flatly rejects.

The document dump on Jan. 30 fulfilled partial requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated disclosure of all government records related to Epstein by Dec. 19, 2025. However, the release was marred by catastrophic redaction failures that exposed nude images of young women and possibly teenagers, intensifying scrutiny of both the administration’s handling of sensitive materials and Trump’s documented social ties to the deceased financier.

What Did Trump Previously Say About Epstein?

In a 2002 interview with New York magazine, Trump offered effusive praise for Epstein that stands in stark contrast to his current denials. At the time, Trump described Epstein as a close acquaintance of 15 years, offering a now-infamous assessment that has resurfaced amid the latest document revelations.

“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.” —Donald Trump, 2002, via New York magazine

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Trump made these comments years before Epstein faced federal charges for sex trafficking minors. Photographs from the 1990s show the two men socializing at Mar-a-Lago, Victoria’s Secret events, and other high-profile gatherings. Flight logs indicate Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet seven times between 1993 and 1997, though Trump maintains he never visited Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

On Monday, Trump took to Truth Social to issue a blanket denial of any friendship while threatening legal action against those suggesting otherwise.

“Not only wasn’t I friendly with Jeffrey Epstein but, based upon information that has just been released by the Department of Justice, Epstein and a SLEAZEBAG lying author named Michael Wolff, conspired in order to damage me and/or my Presidency.” —President Donald Trump, Feb. 2, 2026, via Truth Social

What Did the DOJ Release?

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The Jan. 30 release included approximately 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images collected during years of federal investigation into Epstein’s criminal network. However, the disclosure fell short of statutory requirements, with more than 3 million additional pages remaining withheld under claims of attorney-client privilege, medical privacy, and child pornography exemptions.

Using proprietary search tools, the New York Times identified more than 5,300 files containing over 38,000 references to Trump, Melania Trump, Mar-a-Lago, and related terms. While many references are news articles that landed in Epstein’s email inbox, the files also include internal FBI summaries of allegations received through the bureau’s Threat Operations Center tip line.

Most alarmingly, the release included at least 40 nude images of young women that the department failed to redact, despite legal mandates to protect victim identities. The New York Times reported that the unredacted photos appeared to show at least seven different individuals in bedroom and beach settings, including locations on Epstein’s private island. The department removed the images after media outlets flagged the error, but critics argue the damage to victim privacy was already done.

“The people in the photos appeared to be young, although it was unclear whether they were minors. Some of the images seemed to show Mr. Epstein’s private island, including a beach. Others were taken in bedrooms and other private spaces.” —New York Times report, Feb. 1, 2026

What Unverified Claims Are in the Files?

The files include an FBI document summarizing allegations against Trump received through tip lines, though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated Sunday that the department investigated these claims and found no credible information to merit further inquiry.

“The Justice Department looked into sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump in connection with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but did not find credible information to merit further investigation.” —Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General, via CNN, Feb. 1, 2026

Among the materials are handwritten notes from a Sept. 2019 victim interview describing being transported to Mar-a-Lago to meet Trump, with Epstein allegedly saying this is a good one, huh? The notes did not suggest misconduct by Trump. Other documents include emails between Epstein and journalist Michael Wolff discussing potential strategies to counter negative publicity, which Trump has seized upon as evidence of a conspiracy against him.

Victim advocates have slammed the administration for prioritizing political damage control over survivor protection. Attorneys representing Epstein victims filed an emergency motion Sunday demanding judicial intervention after discovering that confidential victim names, banking information, and identifying details appeared unredacted throughout the release.

“That expectation was shattered on Jan. 30, 2026, when DOJ committed what may be the single most egregious violation of victim privacy in one day in United States history.” —Brittany Henderson and Brad Edwards, attorneys for Epstein survivors, via NBC News, Feb. 2, 2026

Trump has announced his intention to sue Wolff and the Epstein estate for defamation, claiming the files actually absolve him of wrongdoing despite his thousands of mentions throughout the documents.

“It looked like this guy, Wolff, was a writer, was conspiring with Epstein to do harm to me. I didn’t see it myself, but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping.” —President Donald Trump via Fox News, Feb. 1, 2026

Will the administration’s handling of the Epstein files release, marked by redaction failures and the president’s contradictory statements about his relationship with the deceased trafficker, undermine public trust in the transparency process or validate Trump’s claims of political persecution?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from The New York Times analysis of Trump references, CNN coverage of Blanche statements, NBC News reporting on victim privacy violations, Fox News coverage of Trump threats, New York magazine archives of 2002 interview, Yahoo News analysis of redaction failures, Wikipedia documentation of file contents, Miami Herald coverage of unverified claims, and USA Today reporting on DOJ compliance.

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