In a surprising exchange aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein had “stolen” staff from him, including Virginia Giuffre — one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers.
During the off‑camera gaggle, a reporter pressed Trump on Epstein’s history of hiring away employees, including women from his spa. Trump responded: “People were taken out of the spa, hired by Epstein … I told him we don’t want you taking our people, whether it’s spa or not spa. He did it again, I said out of here.”
When asked whether one of those people was Giuffre, an Epstein victim who was underage at the time of the abuse, Trump said: “I think so. He stole her.”
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On Monday, Trump made similar remarks, telling reporters in Scotland that he expelled Epstein from his Mar‑a‑Lago club years ago and ended their relationship because “he stole people who worked for me.”
According to Trump, Epstein hired at least one more of his staff even after being warned not to do it again.
“That’s such old history, very easy to explain, but I don’t want to waste your time by explaining it,” Trump remarked after being asked to clarify the fallout with Epstein and his removal from Trump’s Palm Beach club
He added: “But for years, I wouldn’t talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn’t talk because he did something that was inappropriate.”
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Meanwhile, Trump’s Tuesday comments generated backlash on social media.
Author Bill Kristol wrote on the social platform X: “So five years after Maxwell recruits the 16-year old Virginia Giuffre at Mar-a-Lago, in 2000, Trump gets worried. Just when he might have gotten wind of law enforcement investigations of Epstein. Trump didn’t seem too concerned in 2002 and 2003 when he yukked it up with Epstein.”
Political commentator Sam Stein wrote: “‘He stole her’ is a jaw dropping thing to say. i just can’t get over it. was she Trump’s property?”
Former congressman Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), who is now a Democrat, wrote: “Trump knew what Epstein was doing.”
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Max Steele, a communications director at Everytown wrote: “Perhaps Trump is completely innocent and is the victim of an ancient curse that renders him only able to defend himself / address this topic in the most cartoonishly incriminating way possible?”
Listen to the exchange below, or by clicking this link.