Here’s a brief overview of their friendship and falling-out, and how Trump’s political career intersected with Epstein’s prosecution.
1980s to early 2000s: Trump and Epstein are friends. They are spotted partying together on multiple occasions, Trump flies on Epstein’s private jets at least seven times, and his name and number appear in Epstein’s “little black book” (along with several Trump family members and many other famous and powerful figures).
2004: Trump and Epstein have a “falling-out,” as the president put it years later. The cause may have been a real-estate battle, but Trump has not confirmed this.
2006: After Florida police investigate multiple claims of Epstein sexually abusing underage girls, Epstein is indicted on just a single count of soliciting prostitution. Florida officials are accused of giving Epstein special treatment, and the FBI launches an investigation.
2008: Epstein pleads guilty to two state charges after striking a plea deal with the U.S. Attorney in Miami, Alexander Acosta, to avoid federal prosecution (Acosta then served as Trump’s Labor secretary in his first term). Epstein is sentenced to 18 months in jail but serves most of his sentence in a work-release program that lets him leave jail during the day.
July 6, 2019: Epstein is arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges in New York. Acosta resigns from the Trump administration days later amid public outcry over his decision not to prosecute Epstein years earlier.
August 10, 2019: Epstein is found dead in his Manhattan jail cell. His death is ruled a suicide.
2024: Thousands of pages of court documents from an Epstein civil suit are unsealed, reviving interest in the case. Trump is mentioned multiple times, but the documents don’t reveal any incriminating information about him. During the 2024 campaign, Trump suggests he’ll declassify the federal government’s Epstein files if reelected.
February 2025: Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly teases the release of more Epstein files, suggesting in a Fox News interview that the “client list” is “sitting on my desk right now to review.” Days later, right-wing influencers are given binders of Epstein materials at the White House, which turn out to be previously released documents.
July 7, 2025: In an unsigned memo, the FBI and DOJ say that following an “exhaustive review,” they have determined that there is no “client list,” and nothing in the Epstein files warrants further investigation. The memo presents a previously released jail surveillance video as proof that Epstein killed himself — but it’s missing a minute of footage. The memo says there will be no further Epstein document releases.
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