Let’s get you up to speed: FBI Documents on Trump Allegations Released from Missing Epstein Files
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RELEASE
The US Justice Department has posted missing FBI documents concerning sexual abuse allegations against Donald Trump, correcting errors that previously labeled them as duplicative and not visible to the public.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
According to the justice department, some previously missing FBI documents were misclassified, revealing additional allegations against President Trump that he consistently denies.
CURRENT STATUS
FBI documents on sexual abuse allegations against Donald Trump have been released by the US Justice Department after identifying previously mislabeled files, correcting their public visibility.
The Lowdown – What we know so far
FBI documents related to sexual abuse allegations against Donald Trump – which were missing from the initial release of the Epstein files – have been posted online by the US justice department.
It comes after American media, including Sky’s partner network NBC News, reported on their absence.
The justice department said some missing files brought to its attention had been wrongly labelled as “duplicative” in its spreadsheet, meaning they were not visible to the public, and had corrected the error.
They include summaries and notes from three separate interviews the FBI conducted with a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein, and abused by the now president.
Mr Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and he and the White House have said the Epstein files have exonerated him.
US News has contacted the White House for comment about the claims in the newly released files.
In an earlier statement on Thursday, the president’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt said they are “completely baseless” and “backed by zero credible evidence”.
The justice department has previously warned the files include unfounded accusations about the president.
The woman, from South Carolina, came forward to law enforcement after Epstein was arrested in 2019.
She alleged the billionaire financier assaulted her on Hilton Head Island, in her home state, when she was 13.
The alleged incident happened in or around 1984, according to a summary of an FBI interview.
The FBI conducted follow-up interviews on four separate dates in 2019: 24 July, 7 August, 20 August, and 16 October.
The dates were revealed as part of a catalogue of evidence against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend and convicted co-conspirator, which was released by the justice department.
But only the FBI’s summary of the 24 July interview was initially included in the millions of documents comprising the Epstein files. It does not mention any allegations against Mr Trump.
It is the memos from the other three interviews that have now been published. The woman – whose name is redacted throughout – alleges abuse by Epstein and several associates, including, she claims, Mr Trump.
The justice department has reiterated its previous warning that the Epstein files contain false and unverified claims.
It was ordered to release the files by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Mr Trump signed into law late last year amid pressure from Republicans in Congress.
At the time of their release, the department said: “This production may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production that is responsive to the act.
“Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election.
“To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.”
Trump and Epstein moved in the same circles in Florida and New York for many years, and were pictured together on several occasions in the 1990s and early 2000s, including at the real estate mogul’s club in Palm Beach.
There is now-infamous NBC News archive footage of the pair socialising in November 1992 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, with the now-president appearing to point out women on the dance floor.
In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump was quoted saying: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy.
“He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it – Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
Trump was asked about his relationship with Epstein after he was found dead in his cell in 2019, and he played down the extent of their relationship.
He said he “knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him”, but added: “I had a falling out with him. I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.”
Asked why the pair fell out, Mr Trump said: “The reason doesn’t make any difference, frankly,” and added that he had “no idea” about Epstein’s crimes.
The law mandating the release of the files allows the justice department to withhold records that contain victim information, child sexual abuse material, and anything that would jeopardise an active investigation or prosecution.
It prohibits withholding anything “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary”.
Nobody is under investigation in the US in relation to the Epstein files.