What specific FBI files in the Epstein release mention Donald Trump by name and what do they say?
Executive summary
The recently released Epstein files contain multiple, specific FBI records that mention Donald Trump by name; those records are a mix of archival evidence (photos and emails), investigator notes, and a prominent FBI spreadsheet of unvetted tips that include allegations about Trump — none of which the files show as substantiated criminal findings by prosecutors [1] [2] [3]. The Justice Department cautioned that the production includes unverified or false submissions sent to the FBI by the public, and some earlier releases redacted Trump’s name under FOIA exemptions because the relevant conduct predated his presidency [4] [5].
1. What the “spreadsheet” of tip-line complaints is and what it says about Trump
Among the most scrutinized items is a spreadsheet compiled last August summarizing calls to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center or to a prosecutor hotline; that spreadsheet lists multiple uncorroborated tips naming Trump as a subject of “salacious information,” and an internal email circulated within the FBI flagged what it described as “Trump accusers” — graphic, unverified allegations submitted close to the 2020 election that DOJ officials say were not proven [6] [2] [7] [4].
2. Victim interview notes and eyewitness recollections that reference Trump
Handwritten FBI notes from interviews appear among the files and include a victim’s account that Maxwell “presented” her to Trump at a New York gathering, and an Epstein employee’s 2007 recollection that Trump had visited Epstein’s Florida home — both are recorded as statements in investigation files but are not presented in the release as proof of criminal conduct or as corroborated findings [8] [9] [6].
3. Archival material, photos and Epstein’s own documents showing Trump’s name
The cache also contains photos and items Epstein kept that feature Trump’s name or image — including a widely circulating photo of Trump with Epstein from the 1990s and copies of news articles Epstein saved that mention Trump; the DOJ initially removed and then reposted at least one image in the latest release, underscoring how the files mix raw source material with investigatory records [1] [10] [7].
4. Repeated references to Trump’s 2002 New York magazine quote
The files include at least 74 documents that reference a 2002 New York magazine profile in which Trump called Epstein “a lot of fun to be with,” a contemporaneous social link that appears throughout the archive as contextual material rather than as proof of illicit activity [11].
5. How the DOJ and news outlets interpret these mentions
The Justice Department warned that some documents “contain untrue and sensationalist claims” and that it included everything sent to the FBI even if fabricated; multiple outlets report that many allegations in the files were deemed not credible by investigators and that the public tips were not the same as evidence developed by prosecutors [4] [3] [2].
6. Redactions, withheld records and limitations of the release
Reporting shows a unit of FOIA officers redacted Trump’s name in prior disclosures under exemptions because alleged conduct predated his presidency, and advocates contend millions of potentially responsive pages remain unreleased — meaning the newly published records are extensive but not necessarily exhaustive of what the FBI collected [5] [12].
7. How journalists and the public should read the Trump mentions
News organizations emphasize that Trump’s name appears “hundreds” of times in mixed contexts — from Epstein’s own clippings to unvetted tip lists and interview notes — and warn that duplication of rumors and second‑hand reporting in the trove can amplify unverified claims; multiple outlets stress that none of the released records amount to a prosecutor’s allegation against Trump [10] [1] [13].
Conclusion
The specific FBI files that name Donald Trump are primarily: a recent FBI spreadsheet summarizing tip-line complaints that include graphic, unverified allegations; handwritten victim interview notes and an employee’s recollection noting Trump’s presence; photos and Epstein-preserved materials referencing Trump; and many instances of news clippings Epstein saved — collectively offering context and raw leads but not presenting proven criminal charges against Trump, per DOJ and press reporting [6] [8] [1] [4].