US President Donald Trump has claimed that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein once worked behind the scenes to stop him from winning the US presidency.
Speaking at the White House on February 3, 2025, Trump said newly released US justice documents showed Epstein allegedly conspired with a well-known writer to damage his election chances.
The remarks matter because they revive the long-running Epstein scandal, raise fresh political accusations, and land just weeks into Trump’s return to office, with global implications watched closely in the UK.
What exactly did Trump claim about Epstein and the election?
Trump told reporters that Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while facing child sex trafficking charges, had actively tried to stop him from becoming president.
Donald Trump, White House, February 3, 2025: “They found that Jeffrey Epstein and this sleazebag writer named Michael Wolff were conspiring against Donald Trump to lose the election.”
Trump stressed he had “nothing to do” with Epstein and claimed the effort aimed to harm his 2016 presidential campaign, which he ultimately won.
The Trump Epstein election claim adds a political angle to the controversy after it was released by the US Department of Justice earlier this year.
Why does Trump say the documents matter now?
The comments followed the US Department of Justice’s release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents in late January 2025. Trump argued that political opponents pushed for the release, hoping it would hurt him.
He claimed the strategy backfired. Donald Trump: “Now it’s really hitting back on them, because Bill Clinton is such a big part of it.”
Trump accused the Democratic Party of previously benefiting from Epstein’s influence, suggesting the scandal now reflects more badly on them than on him.
Who else is named in the Epstein case files?
Epstein moved in elite circles for years. Court documents and previous investigations have linked him socially — not criminally — to powerful figures, including:
- Bill Clinton, former US President
- Donald Trump, former and current US President
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York
UK readers will remember that Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 after a BBC Newsnight interview about his links to Epstein. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and was never charged.
Is Trump planning legal action over the alleged conspiracy?
Yes, possibly. Trump said on January 31, 2025, that he may consider legal action against Epstein’s estate and writer Michael Wolff, accusing them of conspiring to undermine his campaign.
At this stage:
- No lawsuit has been formally filed
- No court has ruled on the conspiracy allegation
- Wolff has not responded publicly to the latest claim
This keeps the issue firmly in the political arena rather than the legal one, for now.
Why does this story matter to a UK audience?
Although the claims focus on US politics, the Epstein case has clear UK links and ongoing public interest here. British institutions, media, and royal connections were all drawn into earlier investigations.
For the UK:
- It highlights how elite power networks cross borders
- It shows how scandals can re-emerge during election cycles
- It reinforces why transparency in public office matters globally
Timeline: Key moments in the Epstein saga
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2002–2005 | Epstein allegedly trafficked underage girls |
| July 2019 | Epstein arrested in New York |
| August 2019 | Epstein found dead in prison |
| January 2025 | US Justice Department releases new documents |
| February 2025 | Trump makes election interference claim |
