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Fact check: When did the alleged incident involving Epstein at Mar-a-Lago occur?
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses provided, no specific date is given for any particular "alleged incident" involving Epstein at Mar-a-Lago. However, the sources establish a clear timeline of Trump-Epstein interactions at the Florida resort:
- Trump and Epstein first met in 1990 when Epstein purchased a mansion 2 miles from Mar-a-Lago [1]
- In 1992, they partied together at Mar-a-Lago, with video evidence showing Trump chatting and laughing next to Epstein [1] [2]
- Epstein attended Trump's 1993 wedding to Marla Maples [2]
- In summer 2000, a 16-year-old Mar-a-Lago locker room assistant was recruited into Epstein's circle by Ghislaine Maxwell, though it's unclear if this recruitment occurred at Mar-a-Lago itself [1]
- Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein accuser, stated she was 17 and working at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club when she was recruited by Epstein [3]
The sources also indicate that Trump eventually ejected Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for "being a creep" [4], though no specific date is provided for this action.
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The question assumes there was a single "alleged incident" at Mar-a-Lago, but the analyses reveal multiple interactions and potential incidents spanning over a decade. Key missing context includes:
- The nature of the Trump-Epstein relationship evolved over time - from social acquaintances in 1990 to party companions in the early-to-mid 1990s, to an eventual falling out where Trump banned Epstein from his property [1] [4]
- Trump flew on Epstein's private plane at least seven times, indicating their relationship extended beyond Mar-a-Lago [5]
- The recruitment of young women at Mar-a-Lago appears to have been an ongoing pattern rather than a single incident, with both a locker room assistant in 2000 and Virginia Giuffre being recruited while working there [1] [3]
- Trump's name appears in Epstein investigation files, which was briefed to him by Attorney General Pam Bondi in May [6]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The question's framing as "the alleged incident" suggests there was one specific, well-documented incident, when the evidence shows multiple interactions and potential incidents over many years. This framing could mislead readers into thinking there's a single, clearly defined event when the reality is more complex.
The use of "alleged" is appropriate given the ongoing legal and investigative nature of Epstein-related matters, but the question fails to acknowledge the documented evidence of multiple interactions between Trump and Epstein at Mar-a-Lago throughout the 1990s and early 2000s [1] [2]. The question's singular focus obscures the pattern of behavior and long-standing relationship that the sources reveal.