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Epstein offered reporter photos of 'donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen': Email
Executive summary
Jeffrey Epstein’s newly released emails include a 2015 exchange in which he asked New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr., “would you like photso of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen,” an offer that multiple outlets report was made but that does not, in available reporting, prove those photos exist or that they show criminal conduct [1] [2] [3]. Coverage varies on tone and implication: news outlets present the quote as part of a broader trove suggesting Epstein sought to leverage potentially damaging material about Donald Trump, while some voices call the release partisan and note uncertainty about context and authenticity [4] [5].
1. What the emails actually say and who reported them
The core, much-repeated line — Epstein asking a reporter if he “would you like photso of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen” — appears in the House Oversight Committee release and is quoted directly by major outlets including The New York Times, Politico and Reuters, which identify the exchange as between Epstein and New York Times journalist Landon Thomas Jr. in December 2015 [1] [2] [4]. Time and BBC live coverage reproduced the same phrasing from the documents and quoted Thomas’s enthusiastic reply, “Yes!!,” indicating the materials in question consist of Epstein’s typo-filled, short messages and a reporter’s prompt acceptance [3] [6]. These reports are consistent in attributing the line to the released emails rather than to later testimony or corroborating evidence.
2. What the emails do not prove, according to reporting
Available sources emphasize limits: Reuters notes it is “not clear whether he is joking” about the photos, and multiple outlets underline that the appearance of an offer does not establish that the images exist, that they depict wrongdoing, or that they involve underage persons [4] [7]. The New York Times frames Epstein as trying to leverage potentially damaging information and presents the line as part of a pattern of Epstein disparaging Trump and claiming leverage, but the paper’s reporting does not claim the photos were produced or authenticated in the public record [1]. The Associated Press similarly cautions that Epstein’s 2019 claim that Trump “knew about the girls” leaves unresolved what Trump would have known and whether it related to criminal activity [5].
3. How different outlets frame motive and significance
Coverage divides between two emphases: some outlets present the line as evidence that Epstein attempted to weaponize intimate or compromising material against Trump—an assertion The New York Times portrays within a broader pattern of Epstein boasting he could “take him down” [1]. Others stress the political context and potential for narrative-shaping: Reuters and the White House response quoted by AP highlight accusations by Republicans and the White House that Democrats selectively released material to smear Trump, and Reuters explicitly reports uncertainty about whether Epstein was joking [4] [5]. BBC and The Independent report both the quote and the ensuing political fallout, showing media consensus that the item is newsworthy even as interpretations diverge [6] [8].
4. On corroboration and the chain of custody
The reporting indicates these emails came from documents produced to Congress by Epstein’s estate and released by the House Oversight Committee; outlets cite the committee’s release but do not cite independent verification of the photos’ existence [2] [4]. Time and other outlets reproduced the exchange directly from the release, but none of the sources in this set report that the photos were turned over, authenticated, or shown to law enforcement as part of those releases [3] [7]. Therefore, the public record as described in these stories contains Epstein’s claim or offer — not proven, verified visual evidence.
5. Competing perspectives and political context
House Democrats released a targeted batch of emails to raise questions about Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s activities, while Republicans on the committee published a much larger trove; the White House called the Democratic release a smear, arguing selective disclosure, an argument reported by AP and Reuters [4] [5]. Journalists and commentators quoted in the BBC and other pieces caution that Epstein had motive to exaggerate leverage and that his messages are often error-laden and self-serving, which complicates reading them as factual proof [6] [3]. At the same time, outlets note Epstein’s broader pattern of boasting about influence and knowledge, which is why the line drew immediate attention [1] [8].
6. What remains unknown and why that matters
Crucially, available reporting in this set does not confirm the existence, provenance, or contents of any photos, nor does it establish criminal implicature from the quoted offer alone; Reuters explicitly flags ambiguity about whether Epstein was joking and multiple outlets say the emails raise questions without resolving them [4] [7]. For readers seeking firm conclusions, those gaps matter: a sensational quote in a released email can influence public opinion, but absent independent verification or corroborating evidence, it is an allegation or boast in Epstein’s own voice rather than a documented criminal exhibit [1] [5]. Available sources do not mention any authenticated photo evidence stemming from this particular exchange.