{"slug":"trump-pre-presidency-jeffrey-epstein-connection","title":"Jeffrey Epstein Connection: Documented Social Relationship, 1992 Party Video, Later Distancing","date":"1992-01-01","lastUpdated":"2019-07-25","description":"Donald Trump had a documented social relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, spanning at least the early 1990s through approximately 2004. Trump and Epstein were photographed together at social events, and a 1992 video shows Trump and Epstein at a party at Mar-a-Lago where they are seen dancing with women. Trump said in a 2002 New York magazine profile that Epstein was a 'terrific guy' and that he had 'known Jeff for fifteen years' and that Epstein 'likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' After Epstein's 2019 arrest, Trump said he had had a 'falling out' with Epstein 'a long time ago' and was 'not a fan.'","summary":"The relationship between Trump and Epstein was documented through photographs, a 1992 party video, Trump's 2002 New York magazine comment, and Epstein's own court documents. After Epstein's 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges involving minors, documents in the case referenced Trump. A 2015 deposition of a Epstein associate indicated Trump was involved in social circles that intersected with Epstein's activities — though the deposition document was disputed. Trump denied involvement in any of Epstein's criminal activities, and no charges were brought against Trump in connection with Epstein. The nature and extent of the social relationship were documented; the 2019 distancing contradicted the warmth of the 2002 description.","category":"civil-rights","severity":"major","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-epstein.html","title":"Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump: A Documented Relationship","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/25/trump-epstein-relationship-what-we-know/","title":"Trump and Epstein: The full history of their documented relationship","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-relationship-timeline","title":"Timeline of Trump-Epstein relationship","publisher":"The Associated Press"},{"url":"https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/n_7912/","title":"Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery","publisher":"New York Magazine"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["Epstein","pre-presidency","civil-rights","Palm-Beach","social-relationship","Acosta"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"1992-01-01","title":"1992 Mar-a-Lago party — Trump and Epstein on video","summary":"A video obtained by NBC News in 2019 shows Trump and Epstein at a Mar-a-Lago party in 1992, dancing with women and appearing to be social acquaintances. Both men were prominent in Palm Beach and New York social circles."},{"date":"2002-01-01","title":"Trump quotes Epstein as 'terrific guy' who likes younger women","summary":"In a New York magazine profile of Epstein, Trump says he has known Epstein for 15 years, calls him a 'terrific guy' who is 'a lot of fun,' and notes Epstein 'likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.'"},{"date":"2005-01-01","title":"Trump bans Epstein from Mar-a-Lago — reported falling out","summary":"Reports indicate Epstein was banned from Mar-a-Lago around 2005 after allegedly making inappropriate overtures to a member's daughter. This is consistent with Trump's later claim of a 'falling out' with Epstein."},{"date":"2007-06-01","title":"Acosta's non-prosecution agreement — Epstein pleads to state charges","summary":"U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta negotiates a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein, allowing him to plead to state prostitution charges and serve 13 months in a county jail with work release. Epstein's victims are not notified in advance, which is later found to have violated federal law."},{"date":"2017-01-01","title":"Acosta appointed Labor Secretary","summary":"Trump appoints Alexander Acosta as Labor Secretary. Acosta, who had negotiated Epstein's lenient plea deal, is confirmed by the Senate. He serves until Epstein's 2019 arrest brings renewed scrutiny to the deal."},{"date":"2019-07-08","title":"Epstein arrested on federal sex trafficking charges — Acosta resigns","summary":"Epstein is arrested by federal prosecutors in New York on sex trafficking charges involving minors. The arrest draws renewed attention to Acosta's 2007 deal. Acosta resigns as Labor Secretary. Trump says he had a falling out with Epstein 'a long time ago.'"},{"date":"2019-07-25","title":"Court documents mention Trump — nature of involvement disputed","summary":"Court documents in the Epstein case reference Trump in various contexts. The extent of Trump's involvement in any of Epstein's criminal activities is disputed; no charges are filed against Trump."}],"location":{"name":"Palm Beach, FL / New York, NY","lat":26.7056,"lng":-80.0364},"custom":{"era":"pre-presidency","posture":"reported","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Minors trafficked and abused by Epstein and his associates; the documented relationship between Trump and Epstein is relevant to the broader context of Epstein's network and the social circles that enabled his operation over decades","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"Social associate of Epstein; described Epstein warmly in 2002 as someone who liked 'beautiful women, many on the younger side'; denied knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities; later claimed a falling out","institution":"Trump Organization / private"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2019-07-25","summary":"Updated with 2019 arrest and Acosta resignation."}]}}