President Donald Trump forcefully denied any connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes during a press interaction on Thursday, claiming he has been “totally exonerated” as questions swirl around potential further arrests in the case as files get investigated.
Donald Trump responds to Epstein arrest questions
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on February 19, Donald Trump addressed inquiries about whether more American associates of Epstein could face charges. The comments came just hours after Prince Andrew’s arrest in the United Kingdom. Fox News asked the president: “On Prince Andrew, do you think American associates of Jeffrey Epstein will wind up in handcuffs too?”
Donald Trump responded by speaking about his own cleared status. “I’m the expert in a way because I’ve been totally exonerated. That’s very nice. I can actually speak about it very nicely. I think it’s a shame. I did nothing.” He added that Andrew’s arrest was unfortunate, saying, “It’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It’s very sad. It’s a very sad thing. To me, it’s a very sad thing.”
Trump made similar remarks earlier in the week. On February 16, he told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I have nothing to hide. I’ve been exonerated. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein.” Reports have previously noted that Trump and Epstein were acquainted during the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump has maintained that he later ended contact with Epstein and was unaware of any criminal activity.
When asked in July 2019 whether he knew about Epstein molesting girls, Trump said, “No, I had no idea. I had no idea. I haven’t spoken to him in many, many years. But I had — I didn’t have no idea.”
The ongoing developments continue to draw attention to people mentioned in the Epstein files, though Trump maintains his distance from any legal exposure.
