Which politicians have confirmed flying on Jeffrey Epstein's plane and what explanations did they give?

1. Flight logs and official records: who shows up, and how often

Handwritten flight logs and later document releases entered into evidence and released by government producers list many high‑profile names. The logs introduced at the Maxwell trial and later publicized include Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew among others ^{[6] [2] [3]}. Reporting based on flight logs counts multiple entries for Clinton and Trump; one story cites Clinton saying he flew on Epstein’s plane four times and another report says Trump appears in logs at least eight times ^{[1] [2]}.

2. Bill Clinton’s affirmation: humanitarian trips, per his account

Bill Clinton has publicly said he flew on Epstein’s plane four times, including two flights to Africa, and framed those trips as related to humanitarian work—projects connected to the Clinton Foundation and staffing rather than private social engagements—according to reporting that cites Clinton’s statements ^[1]. The BBC and other outlets repeat Clinton’s explanation as part of the broader flight‑log disclosures ^[1].

3. Donald Trump: photographed, logged, and publicly downplayed

Donald Trump appears in Epstein‑era photographs and in flight logs. Reporting notes Trump was photographed with Epstein multiple times and that flight records list repeated trips; one outlet describes Trump as having flown on Epstein’s planes at least eight times, often to and from Teterboro, New Jersey ^{[2] [4] [5]}. Trump previously called Epstein “a great guy” in a past interview and more recently has sought to downplay ties while criticizing Democrats’ focus on the files, per contemporary reporting ^{[4] [5]}.

4. Prince Andrew and other names: listed in manifests, contested contexts

Committee releases and document batches specifically list Prince Andrew as a passenger on Epstein aircraft and associate financial entries that investigators flagged; Oversight Democrats published manifests showing Andrew’s name among passengers ^[3]. The documents include many other prominent names—business leaders, tech figures, entertainers—appearing in logs or photos without, in the cited reporting, accompanying admissions of illicit conduct ^{[3] [7]}.

5. Explanations and defenses: a pattern of social, work‑related or staff travel

Across the sources, the dominant explanations fall into three categories: social acquaintance (courtesy photos, parties), professional or humanitarian travel (Clinton’s stated reason), and staff or entourage travel where officials say aides or staff traveled with a public figure. Reporting emphasizes that being listed as a passenger does not equal criminal implication in the sources provided; some spokespeople and archives stress that appearances in photos or logs do not prove knowledge of Epstein’s crimes ^{[1] [4]}.

6. What the records do not resolve — and what sources avoid saying

Available reporting and committee releases establish presence on flights or in Epstein’s photo albums but do not, in the provided sources, supply evidence that these political figures participated in or were aware of Epstein’s criminal conduct. The materials include redactions to protect victims, and some documents were released under subpoenas or new disclosure laws, which complicates interpretation ^{[3] [8]}. Not found in current reporting: definitive proof in these sources that any listed politician committed crimes in connection with Epstein; the sources instead record travel, photos and official denials or contextual explanations ^{[6] [4]}.

7. Competing narratives and political framing

The release of logs and photos has become politically charged. Some politicians and allies portray disclosures as routine or mischaracterized social contacts; opponents frame the same records as evidence of troubling links. The White House‑linked commentary and partisan releases cited in reporting show both calls for transparency and counterclaims about biased targeting, demonstrating an explicit political agenda around how the files are presented ^{[9] [8]}.

8. Bottom line for readers

Flight logs and estate documents demonstrably place multiple politicians on Epstein’s planes and in his social orbit; Bill Clinton has acknowledged several flights and offered a humanitarian rationale, while Trump has been photographed with Epstein and appears repeatedly in logs and has downplayed ties ^{[1] [2] [4]}. The sources make clear presence does not equal criminality in themselves, and public explanations vary; further factual resolution depends on documents and testimony beyond what these specific sources report ^{[3] [6]}.