Trump defends Epstein island snub, claims he threw ‘creep’ Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago

Donald Trump once again found himself fielding uncomfortable questions about his past ties with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during a press conference held at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. Sharing the stage with newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the former U.S. President dismissed claims of involvement with Epstein’s infamous private island and recounted his decision to expel Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club.

Trump, 79, claimed he had been invited to Epstein’s notorious “Little St. James” island, located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but declined the offer. “In one of my very good moments, I turned it down,” he said, emphasizing that he “never had the privilege” of visiting. “I didn’t want to go to his island,” he added. Epstein’s island has become infamous as the central site of sexual abuse and trafficking detailed in court documents and trials involving both Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Pressed further about Epstein’s presence at Mar-a-Lago, Trump reiterated an oft-repeated claim: that he severed ties with Epstein years ago. “He stole people that worked for me,” Trump said, recalling the incident. “I told him, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He did it again. And I threw him out of the place. Persona non grata. That was it.”

Trump’s comments align with previous statements in which he distanced himself from Epstein, despite reports that they socialized in Florida during the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump has maintained that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities and claims his inclusion in court-released documents was politically motivated. “My name was planted in the files,” he has said previously.

When further questions arose at the presser, Trump quickly diverted attention to a proposed trade deal with the European Union, avoiding deeper scrutiny on Epstein-related matters.

The criminal complaint from the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands described Epstein’s island as “a haven for trafficking young women and underage girls,” noting the secluded property allowed Epstein and his associates to avoid detection. The case continues to attract global attention, not only for its serious allegations but also for the list of high-profile individuals tied to Epstein’s circle.

Though Trump maintains that he never stepped foot on Little St. James, the controversy around those linked to Epstein remains a political minefield for many, especially as the 2024 U.S. presidential race heats up and the files related to Epstein’s network continue to be made public.