U.S. President Donald Trump has denied ever visiting Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, Little St. James, which was linked to multiple crimes involving the late financier.
Speaking during a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said, “I never had the privilege of going to his island.” He added that he had rejected invitations from Epstein.
Trump and Epstein were known to be social acquaintances from the late 1980s until around 2004, when their friendship ended. Flight records show that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet seven times between 1993 and 1997.
However, these trips were only between Palm Beach and New York, not to the island. There is no public evidence that Trump ever visited Little St. James.
In February 2025, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released redacted documents related to Epstein. Trump’s name appeared nine times in flight logs and Epstein’s contact book. Trump has since said the entire case is a “hoax” and warned that documents could be faked.
Trump has also emphasized that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after a personal dispute over real estate.
Public opinion is divided. Some people on X (formerly Twitter) support Trump, pointing out that he helped the FBI in a 2009 case against Epstein. Others remain skeptical due to his past ties and flights with Epstein.
A 2016 lawsuit that accused both Trump and Epstein of misconduct was dismissed because of lack of evidence.
