US President Donald Trump was a passenger on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's private jet, at least eight times, newly disclosed records published on the US Department of Justice website on Tuesday indicate.
The information comes from an internal email dated January 7, 2020, which states, "Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware)."
That email further states that Trump "is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present." It also says he flew "with, among others and at various times, Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric."
The correspondence is part of a 2020 email chain titled "RE: Epstein flight records." While the sender and recipient names are redacted, the signature line identifies the author as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of New York. The message reiterates that Trump appeared on Epstein's jet "many more times than previously has been reported," citing "at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996."
The email outlines individual journeys in detail, stating, "On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old", with the third individual's name blacked out. It also adds, "On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case."
Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes including conspiracy to entice minors to travel for illegal sex acts and sex trafficking of a minor.
Responding to the newly released material, the Department of Justice flagged that some documents in the Epstein files include "untrue and sensationalist claims" involving Trump that were submitted to the FBI before the 2020 presidential election. In a post on X, the DOJ wrote, "To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponised against President Trump already."
Trump told reporters on Monday, that the files were being "used to deflect against tremendous success" achieved by him and his party.
The release follows the passage of legislation last month that mandates the disclosure of Epstein-related records, a measure that cleared Congress with overwhelming support despite attempts by the Trump administration to keep parts of the material under seal.
