The ongoing public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has intensified, drawing renewed attention to persistent allegations connecting Trump with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk’s Bold Claims
Elon Musk recently ignited the latest round of accusations with a provocative post on X (formerly Twitter). He claimed that Donald Trump is explicitly named in the confidential Epstein files, suggesting this is the real reason these documents haven’t been released to the public. “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!” Musk’s now-deleted tweet stated. While he offered no immediate proof, the post signaled a definitive end to any perceived alliance between the two powerful figures.
Understanding Jeffrey Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy American businessman with a vast network of influential contacts. His criminal history began in 2008 when he was jailed for sexually exploiting a minor, receiving a lenient sentence that sparked widespread public outrage. In 2019, he was arrested again for operating an underage sex trafficking ring. Epstein died in jail before his trial, with his death officially ruled a suicide, though many continue to believe he was murdered to silence him and protect others.
Trump’s Alleged Connections and New Claims
Reports from sources like Daily Mail’s US correspondent Tom Leonard indicate that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were part of the same elite social circles in Florida from the late 1980s until a falling out over property in 2004. Like Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton, Trump has been mentioned in legal documents related to Epstein’s history of sexual abuse.
Old video clips circulating on X, some even retweeted by Musk, show Trump and Epstein together. One from 1992 captures them at Mar-a-Lago, and another from 2002 features Trump praising Epstein as “terrific” and noting his preference for “young women.” Despite these connections, there’s no conclusive proof that Trump was directly involved in Epstein’s criminal activities. Nevertheless, his name frequently surfaces in various conspiracy theories surrounding the case.
Further fueling the fire, US journalist Michael Wolff has made explosive allegations, claiming he has seen photographs of Trump and Epstein with “topless girls of an uncertain age sitting on Trump’s lap.” Wolff suggests one image shows Trump with a stain on his trousers while the women laugh and point. He believes these pictures were stored in Epstein’s safe, which the FBI seized in 2019.
Trump’s team has vehemently denied Wolff’s claims, branding him a “disgraced writer.” While Trump himself acknowledged Musk’s shift in allegiance via a Truth Social post, he has not directly addressed the Epstein accusations. The full release of all remaining Epstein files, previously indicated by his administration, has yet to materialize.