Did Trump or Epstein publicly comment on the end of their friendship?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Was this fact-check helpful?
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses provided, only Trump publicly commented on the end of his friendship with Epstein - there is no evidence that Epstein ever made public statements about their relationship's conclusion [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
Trump's public statements include:
- He claimed that Epstein "stole people that worked for me" and that he "threw Epstein out of his private club in Florida" [1]
- More specifically, Trump stated that Epstein "stole young women who worked at his Mar-a-Lago spa," which led to Trump banning Epstein from the club [3] [2]
- In 2019, Trump stated that he hadn't spoken to Epstein in 15 years and that they had a falling out, though he didn't initially specify the reason [5]
- Trump mentioned that Virginia Giuffre was among the young women Epstein allegedly "stole" from Mar-a-Lago [5]
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The analyses reveal several important contextual elements missing from the original question:
- Investigative reporter Julie Brown raises questions about Trump's evolving answers regarding his relationship with Epstein, suggesting that Trump's story has changed over time [6]
- The timeline shows their relationship soured around 2004, but Trump's explanations for the falling out have varied in different statements [7] [5]
- New footage and photos from 1999 show Trump and Epstein's social interactions, including at a Victoria's Secret fashion show, demonstrating the extent of their previous friendship [4]
- Trump's response to CNN's reporting on this footage involved calling CNN "fake news" rather than addressing the substance of their relationship [4]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it implies a false equivalency by asking about both Trump and Epstein's public comments. The analyses clearly show that only Trump made public statements about the end of their friendship - there is no evidence of Epstein ever publicly commenting on this matter [2] [3] [4] [5].
Additionally, the question doesn't acknowledge the inconsistency in Trump's explanations over time, which investigative journalists have noted as problematic [6]. This omission could lead readers to assume Trump's account has been consistent, when the evidence suggests otherwise.