Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: AFP

Once again, former US President Donald Trump’s old friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is in the spotlight. People are talking about their past connection after Trump angrily called a recent news report “fake news.”

The report claimed that Trump sent a rude and inappropriate birthday letter to Epstein, who was a rich money manager later known as a sex offender. Trump denied writing such a letter and said it was not true at all.

But this news has opened up many questions about how close Trump and Epstein really were in the past. Many people are now demanding that the US government release all files about Epstein’s crimes and his death so the truth is clear to everyone.

How Did Trump and Epstein Know Each Other?

Donald Trump, before becoming president, was a property businessman and liked to call himself a playboy. He enjoyed parties, luxury, and being around famous people. Jeffrey Epstein was also a wealthy man, known for managing money for the rich.

According to people who knew them, Trump and Epstein met sometime in the 1990s. In 1992, there was a party at Trump’s resort, called Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. At this party, there were NFL cheerleaders dancing and entertaining guests. Videos from that party show Trump and Epstein standing together, laughing, and enjoying the event.

Epstein as the Only Guest at Trump’s Event

In the same year, Trump organised a “calendar girl” competition. It was a contest with more than two dozen young women. Interestingly, Epstein was the only guest Trump invited to this event, which showed how close they were at that time.

Later, it was revealed in court that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet at least seven times during the 1990s. These flights were recorded in flight logs presented in court. However, Trump denied this in 2024, saying, “I was never on Epstein’s plane.”

Accusations of Misbehaviour

In 1993, a swimsuit model named Stacey Williams said that Trump touched her inappropriately after Epstein introduced her to him at Trump Tower. Trump has denied this accusation strongly.

Apart from his connection with Epstein, Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by around 20 women over the years. In 2023, he was found liable in court for sexually abusing and defaming an American journalist named E. Jean Carroll.

Virginia Giuffre’s Story

One of the saddest stories linked to Epstein is that of Virginia Giuffre. She was one of Epstein’s main accusers. Virginia said that when she was 17 years old, she worked at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in the year 2000.

It was there that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s friend and helper, approached her. Maxwell later went to jail in 2022 for helping Epstein sexually abuse young girls.

Virginia said she was forced into Epstein’s sex-trafficking network and suffered for years. Sadly, she died by suicide this year.

Trump Called Epstein a ‘Terrific Guy’

In 2002, Trump gave an interview to a magazine where he said nice things about Epstein. He said:

“He’s a terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

This statement is now seen as worrying by many people because it shows that Trump knew Epstein liked younger women.

The Controversial Birthday Letter

In 2003, it was reported that Trump wrote a birthday letter for Epstein’s 50th birthday. The letter had a drawing of a naked woman, and Trump wrote his name “Donald” in a way that looked like pubic hair. The message read:

“Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

Trump has called this letter “fake” and said it was made up to damage his image.

Why Did Their Friendship End?

Trump and Epstein stopped being friends around 2004. The reason was a fight over buying a property in Florida. Both of them wanted to buy it, but Trump finally got it. After that, they were hardly seen together in public.

In 2019, Trump said they had a falling out and hadn’t spoken for 15 years. After they stopped being friends, Epstein got into serious trouble with the law.

Epstein’s Crimes and Death

In 2008, Epstein was sent to jail for 13 months after being found guilty of soliciting an underage prostitute. Later, in 2019, he was arrested again for trafficking girls as young as 14 and forcing them into sexual acts.

While waiting for his trial in prison, Epstein was found dead in his cell in 2019. Officials said he died by suicide, but many people believe there was something suspicious about his death.

Trump Distanced Himself From Epstein

When Epstein was arrested again in 2019, Trump tried to distance himself from his old friend. He said to reporters:

“I wasn’t a fan.”

But many people found it hard to believe because of their past close relationship.

Conspiracy Theories and Politics

After Epstein’s death, Trump started spreading conspiracy theories. He said that global elites, including former President Bill Clinton, were involved in Epstein’s crimes or his death. These conspiracy theories became very popular on social media.

But now, these same theories are starting to create problems for Trump himself. People are asking why Trump was so close to Epstein and whether he knew about his crimes. Some believe Trump is trying to hide the truth by calling news about his past with Epstein “fake news.”

Why Is This News Important Today?

This news is important because it reminds everyone that leaders should be careful about the people they choose as friends. Even though Trump says he didn’t know about Epstein’s crimes, their close relationship makes people wonder what he knew.

It also shows how dangerous powerful people can become if they use their power in the wrong way. Epstein hurt many young girls, and his actions destroyed lives.

What Can We Learn From This?

For students reading this, it teaches us:

• Always be careful about who you trust and call your friend.

• If you see something wrong, speak up and tell a trusted adult.

• Power and money do not make someone a good person.

• Leaders should behave responsibly and not support bad people.

The friendship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is a reminder that the truth always comes out, no matter how long it takes. People want justice for the victims, and they want to know if powerful people knew about the crimes but did nothing.

As this story continues, the world will watch to see what else will be revealed about this dark chapter in recent history.