White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the Trump administration is ready to move past the renewed controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, after reporters pressed her about new details tied to President Donald Trump.
During the White House press briefing, one reporter brought up information from the Epstein files that suggested Trump spoke with authorities about Epstein back in 2006. The reporter pointed out that Trump has previously said he did not know about Epstein’s crimes at the time, but the newly referenced account appears to suggest otherwise.
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“The president has gone on record before, and he’s told reporters that he said that Jeffrey Epstein, that he had no idea about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes,” the reporter said. “During this conversation with the police chief, however, he says, according to this recounting of it, that ‘thank goodness you’re stopping him.’ He also called Ghislaine Maxwell ‘evil.'”
The reporter then asked Leavitt directly whether the conversation actually happened and how the administration explains what seemed like a contradiction,” he asked Leavitt.
Leavitt did not confirm the details of the conversation but instead defended Trump’s record on Epstein, arguing that the president’s stance has not changed.
According to Leavitt, Trump has been consistent over the years and has taken action when he felt something was wrong.
The press secretary said Trump “remained consistent, and that he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club at Mar-a-Lago because, frankly, Jeffrey Epstein was a creep.”
Leavitt also tried to draw a contrast between Trump and other people whose names have surfaced in Epstein-related documents, saying Trump ended his relationship with Epstein long before the scandal became public.
“And unlike many other people who are named in these files, President Trump cut off his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and was honest and transparent about that for years and years,” she added.
Leavitt went a step further, suggesting the newly surfaced report actually undermines critics who have tried to tie Trump to Epstein for political reasons. She implied that reporters and political opponents have spent years pushing a storyline that does not match what is now coming out.
“And I’m sure many of you, when you read that alleged FBI report, probably thought to yourself, wow, this really cracks our narrative that we’ve been trying to push about this president for many years,” she added.
Leavitt ended her response by making it clear that the White House does not want to keep entertaining the topic. “So we’re moving on from that.”
Epstein, a wealthy financier accused of running a sex trafficking operation involving underage girls, died in federal custody in 2019. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted for her role in recruiting and grooming victims.
The release of new Epstein-related files has reignited political debate and media scrutiny, with reporters continuing to ask questions about public figures mentioned in the documents. Trump has faced repeated questions over the years about his past association with Epstein, including old photos and public comments that showed the two once traveled in similar social circles.
Still, Trump has long claimed he cut ties with Epstein and has said he was never involved in his crimes. The White House is now making it clear they see the issue as settled, even as questions continue to surface.