Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 1997. Photo / Getty ImagesUnited States President Donald Trump says people who “innocently met” Jeffrey Epstein in the past risked having their reputations ruined by the release of the investigative files on the convicted sex offender. Trump, in his first comments since the Justice Department began releasing the files on Friday, also dismissed the furore over Epstein as a distraction from his party’s achievements. “This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has,” he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago home. Former President Bill Clinton featured prominently in the first batch of photos from the Epstein files released by the Justice Department and Trump was asked for his reaction.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 23, 2025 00:14 UTC