Visual Chronology of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein's Relationship
In the late 1980s, Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein first met and became friends, moving in the same wealthy social circles. Their friendship spanned through the 1990s, with numerous documented social interactions and public displays of warmth.
One such instance was in November 1992, where video footage shows Trump and Epstein laughing and talking together at a Mar-a-Lago party. Epstein also attended Trump's wedding to Marla Maples in December of the same year, as photographs confirm his presence.
In 1993, former model Stacey Williams alleged that Trump groped her in front of Epstein at Trump Tower. Trump denied these claims. A photograph from 1997 captures Trump resting his hand on Epstein’s shoulder at Palm Beach, illustrating their continuing friendship.
Trump described Epstein as a "terrific guy" and "a lot of fun to be with" in a 2002 New York magazine interview, also noting Epstein’s attraction to younger women. However, by the early 2000s, their relationship had reportedly fallen out and they had little to no contact for approximately 15 years before Epstein’s arrest in 2019.
Their social interactions included dining at Epstein's Manhattan mansion, flying together between New York and Palm Beach, and partying at Mar-a-Lago. Despite this, Trump has stated they had a falling out well before Epstein was publicly accused and arrested.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and associate, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. Her role as Epstein's close associate and accomplice surfaces mainly in the context of Epstein's criminal proceedings. However, specific details of her direct friendship or interactions with Trump are not documented in these sources.
It's important to note that law enforcement authorities have never accused Trump of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. President Donald Trump has called Epstein a "creep" and insisted he was "not a fan" of Epstein. In a 2019 interview, Epstein referred to Trump as his "closest friend for 10 years."
This timeline of Trump's interactions with Epstein and Maxwell reveals a long pattern of social proximity. This pattern stands in sharp contrast to Trump's public attempts to downplay their friendship. In a statement to CNN, White House communications director Steven Cheung stated that Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep.
CNN's David Adkins and Thomas Bordeaux contributed to this report.
References:
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- In the realms of pop-culture and politics, the friendship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein was notorious, often intertwining entertainment and high society, as they were regularly spotted at celebrity events and parties.
- Despite the public fallout between Trump and Epstein, their relationship in the realm of politics and entertainment was palpable, with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate, largely present in Epstein's criminal proceedings, albeit with few documented interactions with Trump.
