Donald Trump has claimed that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “stole” Virginia Giuffre and other young women from his Mar-a-Lago resort, reigniting controversy around the late billionaire’s links to high-profile figures.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, the US president alleged Epstein had poached spa staff from his private Florida club — including Giuffre, who later accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17.
Giuffre became a key figure in the Epstein scandal after suing the Duke of York in 2021, alleging she was trafficked by Epstein and coerced into sex with his powerful associates, including the royal.
Prince Andrew, who has never been charged with a crime, denied the allegations but reached a financial settlement with Giuffre in early 2022.
Trump’s remarks come amid growing pressure from his supporters and political opponents to release sealed documents related to the Epstein investigation, after pledging transparency during his 2024 election campaign.
Pressed on his past association with Epstein, Trump said he cut ties after the financier began recruiting staff from Mar-a-Lago.
“He took people who worked for me. And I told him, ‘Don’t do it anymore.’ And he did it,” Trump told reporters. “I said, ‘Stay the hell out of here.’”
Asked whether those staff members were young women, Trump acknowledged they worked in the resort’s spa. “The answer is yes, they were in the spa,” he said.
Trump continued: “I told him, ‘Listen, we don’t want you taking our people, whether it was spa or not spa.’ And he was fine. And then not too long after that, he did it again.”
When questioned directly about Giuffre, Trump suggested she had been among the staff taken by Epstein. “I think she worked at the spa… I think so. I think that was one of the people. He stole her.”
He added: “And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever.”
The White House, responding to renewed interest in the case last week, confirmed that Trump had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after concerns about his behaviour, describing the financier as “a creep.”
Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.
His death has continued to fuel speculation and conspiracy theories, with political figures from both parties implicated in unverified reports and rumours about Epstein’s alleged trafficking network.
On Tuesday, lawyers for Epstein’s former partner Ghislaine Maxwell said she was willing to provide additional testimony to the US Congress — but only if she is granted immunity from future prosecution.
Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking minors on Epstein’s behalf, was interviewed last week inside a Florida courthouse by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Officials have not revealed what Maxwell disclosed during the interview, which came as part of Trump’s directive to identify and release any credible evidence related to the Epstein case.
The House Oversight Committee, however, rejected Maxwell’s request for immunity. A spokesperson for the panel said it would not consider the condition.
Meanwhile, Maxwell’s legal team is petitioning the US Supreme Court to review her conviction, claiming she did not receive a fair trial.
Her lawyers argue that she is willing to testify “openly and honestly” if granted a pardon by Trump — a move he says is within his authority but one he has not been asked to exercise.
Giuffre’s own story has been central to public understanding of Epstein’s operations. She said she was approached by Maxwell while working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in 2000, when she was still a teenager.
According to her testimony, Maxwell recruited her under the guise of offering work as a masseuse, which led to her sexual abuse by Epstein and his associates.
Giuffre said she was coerced into sex with several powerful men, including Prince Andrew, a claim he strongly denies.
Her death in April this year, ruled a suicide, added further tragedy to the long-running scandal and reignited questions about the lasting effects of Epstein’s trafficking network on his victims.
Trump’s public re-engagement with the Epstein case has puzzled some political observers, particularly given the renewed interest among his “MAGA” base in the files that remain classified.
Despite promising to release them if elected, Trump has since reversed his position — prompting backlash from supporters demanding accountability.
As the 2024 campaign intensifies, the Epstein scandal remains a politically volatile issue, with calls for transparency clashing with ongoing legal sensitivities and unproven allegations involving powerful individuals.
Editing by M10News Politics Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
© 2025 M10News. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited
