Despite this harsh language, a comprehensive CNN review of court records, photographs, interviews, and other public documents undertaken earlier this year paints a portrait of an enduring relationship between the two men until the mid-2000s, when Trump says he cut ties with Epstein. The president has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein. In an October 2002 New York Magazine profile of Epstein, Trump describes him as “a terrific guy,” saying he’s known Epstein for 15 years. By 2004, Trump and Epstein had a well-known falling out, reportedly tied to a dispute over a Palm Beach mansion both men wanted to buy at auction. Years later, in February 2015, Trump said that Epstein had “a problem,” adding: “that Island was really a cesspool, there’s no question about it,” referring to a private island in the US Virgin Islands owned by Epstein.

Source: Egypt Independent December 23, 2025 14:38 UTC