The White House responded Wednesday to a new report claiming President Trump’s name appeared in documents related to the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. According to the report, Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump earlier this year that his name was mentioned multiple times in the files. Senior officials reportedly described the references as “unverified hearsay.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the story, calling it “another fake news story, just like the previous one.” He pushed back on the allegations, insisting there was no substance to the claims.
The controversy follows an earlier report alleging that Trump sent Epstein a birthday note in 2003. The letter, described as containing typewritten lines surrounded by a marker-drawn outline of a nude woman, ended with the message: “Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The note was signed with Trump’s name. The White House previously rejected that story as fabricated, and Trump has denied writing the letter.
The renewed scrutiny comes as the administration continues managing fallout from a Department of Justice memo released in early July. That memo confirmed Epstein’s 2019 death was ruled a suicide and stated the DOJ had no incriminating “client list” tied to the case. Despite this, public pressure has mounted for more transparency, particularly regarding the high-profile individuals linked to Epstein over the years.
The Journal reported that Bondi and another senior DOJ official spoke with the president in May, informing him that his name appeared in materials from the case. DOJ leadership reportedly advised Trump that the documents would not be released to the public to protect victims and because the files included child sexual abuse materials. According to sources, Trump said he would respect DOJ’s decision.
However, those claims appear to conflict with Trump’s earlier remarks. When asked on July 15 if Bondi had told him his name came up in the investigation, Trump denied it. “No, no, she’s she’s given us just a very quick briefing,” he said. He also praised Bondi, saying she had done “a very good job” reviewing the Epstein materials.
New images surfaced this week adding more fuel to the fire. CNN reported photos from 1993 showing Epstein attending Trump’s wedding to Marla Maples and standing beside him at the opening of the Harley-Davidson Café the same year. Another clip showed the two men chatting and laughing at the 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion show.
When asked for comment on the resurfaced footage, Trump reportedly told CNN, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” before ending the call and calling the outlet “fake news” multiple times.
The president recently filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent company, Rupert Murdoch, and several other parties, accusing them of publishing false and damaging information intended to harm his reputation.