Donald Trump was told that his name appeared multiple times in the Epstein files

Embed from Getty Images

A week ago, the Wall Street Journal published Donald Trump’s “letter” to Jeffrey Epstein. It wasn’t really a letter, it was a “bawdy note” written by Trump as a special gift for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Ghislaine Maxwell asked all of Epstein’s closest friends to write notes or make drawings, and Maxwell compiled those notes and drawings into a specially-bound book. A day after the WSJ published the note – which was incriminating as hell, as Trump suggested they shared the same terrible secret – Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Murdochs and WSJ. The Murdochs didn’t blink. On Wednesday, the WSJ had a new exclusive: Donald Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump that his name appears multiple times in the Epstein files.

When Justice Department officials reviewed what Attorney General Pam Bondi called a “truckload” of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein earlier this year, they discovered that Donald Trump’s name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials.

In May, Bondi and her deputy informed the president at a meeting in the White House that his name was in the Epstein files, the officials said. Many other high-profile figures were also named, Trump was told. Being mentioned in the records isn’t a sign of wrongdoing. The officials said it was a routine briefing that covered a number of topics and that Trump’s appearance in the documents wasn’t the focus.

They told the president at the meeting that the files contained what officials felt was unverified hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialized with Epstein in the past, some of the officials said. One of the officials familiar with the documents said they contain hundreds of other names.

They also told Trump that senior Justice Department officials didn’t plan to release any more documents related to the investigation of the convicted sex offender because the material contained child p—graphy and victims’ personal information, the officials said. Trump said at the meeting he would defer to the Justice Department’s decision to not release any further files.

The meeting set the stage for the high-profile review to come to an end. Bondi had said in February that Epstein’s client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review.” Trump said last week in response to a journalist’s question that Bondi hadn’t told him that his name was in the files.

[From The Wall Street Journal]

I actually wonder what the endgame will be. I’ve seen some bright-eyed optimists suggest that multiple people should be fired, including AG Pam Bondi. The thing is… if Trump goes on a firing spree, I don’t think MAGAville would blink an eye. They’ll cheer him on. They’re still waiting for him to provide some sort of explanation though, which is why Trump keeps jingling his keys at his cult and screaming “Barack Hussein Obama!” So… again, what is the endgame here? At the end of all of this, we’re going to learn that Trump was not only one of Epstein’s clients, but Trump was intimately involved with the procurement of teenagers, right? And then what happens after that?

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Backgrid and Getty.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

39 Responses to “Donald Trump was told that his name appeared multiple times in the Epstein files”

  1. Brassy Rebel says:

    Trump isn’t just listed as a friend or associate. He’s probably not even a run of the mill client of Epstein’s trafficking ring. All evidence points to DJT being up to his eyeballs in all kinds of dirty deeds right along with Epstein. Some of it is already seeping into the media as victims and survivors feel emboldened to speak out—some for the second and third time because they were ignored previously. And the 🍊 monster knows now that it’s all been compiled in a nice, neat filing system. Someone had better make sure it doesn’t get “accidentally” destroyed. Obviously, the WSJ has more and they’re going to release it drip by drip. Look for Trump to become even more unhinged about fake Obama conspiracies that don’t even make any sense. And Ron Widen wants to know what the Treasury Department has on the financing. Yet another important angle!

    • Megan says:

      The real news here is that Murdoch had the dirt on Trump all along. Now that the tax cuts for billionaires are permanent, he’s trying to oust the chaos clown in favor of a more pliable Vance.

    • VelveetaSneeze says:

      “All evidence points to DJT being up to his eyeballs in all kinds of dirty deeds right along with Epstein. Some of it is already seeping into the media as victims and survivors feel emboldened to speak out—some for the second and third time because they were ignored previously.” I completely agree. I think that’s what they’re all trying to coverup. Everyone already knew they were friends, had already read all the interviews and/or quotes, so it’s got to be more damning by leagues. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least. I’ve also read how Ivana helped Gishilane Maxwell, too, which would also not surprise me. If so, may she RIP in her golf course grave, I guess.

      Does anyone here read Daily Kos? During Epstein’s BFF’s first term, there was an entry published that did exhaustive research into his modeling agency, Trump Model Management. It’s been so many years and so much sh*t since then, so I can’t recall exactly, but there were quotes from models who said he knew they either didn’t have visas, or knew they’d expired, how they weren’t treated very shabbily, and allegations of sexual abuse. There might have even been something about sex trafficking and a connection to Julian Casablancas, IIRC, or that might have been an article in The Atlantic. Anyhow. If you haven’t read it, it’s definitely worth a search and a read.

  2. DaveW says:

    “And what happens after that?” Sadly, probably nothing. The level MAGA go to in order to rationalize and excuse Felon47’s actions, lies, behaviors is mind blowing. As long as it wasn’t toddlers or elementary school age children, because I’d bet they’d excuse a 16 year old girl under the guise of “well, she looked over 18,” he’ll continue on his merry way completely obliterating the US, Constitution and democracy.

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      It’s terrible enough that Trump is freaking out in ways he never has before. I think that’s what has his cult sh*tting bricks. And keep an eye on Vance waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces. No wonder he’s on a seeming permanent vacation.

      • Jenny says:

        I’m beginning to wonder if Vance’s long summer vacation was based on a tip to be out of town and away from any fallout, because someone knew this was going down and would leave him in the position to step up. The Mango Felon has outlived his usefulness to those non-MAGA cultists who put him in place to advance the 2025 agenda, and it feels like this might be the takedown.

      • Louisa says:

        I really believe now that Trump will be removed by the end of the year (if not the summer). Vance meeting with Rupert Murdoch in “secret” a few weeks ago and then leaving DC for weeks of vacation…
        The heat on Trump over Epstein is not going away and it seems to be the only thing in the past 10 years that even has (some of) his supporters questioning their loyalty to him.
        Trump was the useful idiot / cult leader that Peter Thiel and the Heritage Foundation needed to get into the WH and they don’t need him now. They are getting ready to oust him and install Vance.

    • Kitten says:

      Latest poll has 40% of Trump supporters saying that they approve of his handling of the Epstein files and 36% saying they disapprove which is pretty huge considering he almost always hits 80% approval among Republican voters, even for shit that actually ruins their lives.

      That being said, it IS a cult and I could see them rallying behind him as he continues to position himself as the target of a Dem witch hunt.

      At this stage, I’d be thrilled if he shaves off even 5% of his calcified 40% approval. I wanna see this asshole polling in the 30s…..

      • Megan says:

        Trump is running the world’s biggest gospel of prosperity. His cult members all believe they are one day away from hitting it big. One lottery ticket, one online bet, one big idea and then they’ll be just like Trump because he is the ultimate symbol of wealth to someone who has none.

    • bisynaptic says:

      Dead girls and live boys. Those are the things that can sink a pol like Trump.

  3. lady digby says:

    Why would this be a shock to anyone, let alone his supporters? His actions and words have condemned him as someone of low morals!

  4. Amy T says:

    And water is wet. It’s hard to imagine anything that will move the needle at this point, although the constant chatter about Epstein and Trump that won’t go away is probably stressing him out to the point where it’s affecting his already precarious health. Which, despite the hit to my karma, I find comforting.

  5. Abby says:

    OF COURSE he’s in the documents. OF FREAKING COURSE HE IS.

    I don’t know that it’ll change anything for MAGA though. Which is so hypocritical of them. It makes me crazy.

  6. SarahCS says:

    Same Tim, same.

    As for the endgame, we’ve seen time and again that incompetence and stupidity are the defining features of anyone associated with this man and he encourages the chaos because it’s helped him get away with so much in the past.

  7. Bumblebee says:

    The only way this could probably help is if people keep, poke, poke, poking him enough for him to explode and do something so over the top, he could never recover from. But then we would be stuck with Vance.

  8. SIde Eye says:

    Apparently Vance met with Murdoch before his vacation. There’s a reason Vance is going away for an entire month. I always said the plan per Project 2025 is to install Vance. Trump is no longer useful to them – he did all the damage and now that the fascist framework is in place he is no longer needed. He was a great distraction while they dismantled democratic institutions and safeguards.

    The WSJ is taking Trump down. I do wonder what the endgame is though because the House will not impeach him no matter what. So are they banking on all these stressors at once causing a massive coronary? Or something more sinister that they will blame the Dems for? Personally, I have never seen Trump look more like a deer in headlights. It’s like he knows his time is up.

    I’m sad he will never see justice for all the human rights violations and of course all the rape and child rape.

    • MaisiesMom says:

      My sister just visited me and she was saying Vance horrifies more than Trump does. I can’t say the same. Yes, he’s awful and bad for democracy. But he’s not the cult leader Trump is so at least with him, there is a chance to pry some people loose from the grip on insanity.

      • DaveW says:

        This! Vance will toe the Heritage Foundation/Project 2025 line but he lacks the charisma, much as I hate to acknowledge it, that Felon47 has that makes people such die hard loyalists. Vance will have to work harder and won’t be a slam unless across the board.

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        Vance is not particularly popular with the MAGA base or anyone else. It’s no sure thing that Republicans in Congress would jump through hoops for him like they do for the Mad King.

      • Kitten says:

        Yeah ITA. Trump is a very unique political figure and he’s pretty much impossible to replicate. So many MAGA House members try and it never actually works. Between his TV shows, his reputation as a shrewd businessman (LOL) and the various assassination attempts, he’s become a mythical figure in many ways.

        Contrast that with Vance, who has all the charisma of an old gym sock and has all but erased from his public profile what was actually a pretty compelling backstory.

      • Nina says:

        The only thing Vance has going for him is his alignment with the tech fascists. It’s the only reason he’s in the position he’s in. The Republicans aren’t afraid of Vance like they are of Trump because 1. Vance is a coward and 2. no one owes him anything. The fact that he’s married to a brown woman is also something that the MAGA base doesn’t like.

      • Becks1 says:

        yeah, I don’t see Lisa Murkowski, for example, being afraid to vote a certain way because Vance might go after her the way Trump does. I don’t think politicians being afraid of Vance’s rhetoric leading to assassinations the way they are with Trump.

        (we can debate LM political cowardice in general another time, I’m just taking that one quote from her. she never would have said that if Vance was president.)

      • maja says:

        He has no “certain something”. He has caused more bankruptcies and banking problems than anyone else. He was built up as a figurehead by a group of right wing extremists and right wing evangelicals because he lies without scruples and has no conscience. That’s where he got his money and his ability to influence. Without these people in the background, he would be a nobody. An embarrassingly made-up, old, washed-up show host whose speeches and views date back to the 1950s. He’s not a myth – he’s a convicted felon and the result of the people behind Project 25 who have been funding him for years.

    • Kitten says:

      This is actually a very sound theory.

    • FYI says:

      It’s Murdoch who is taking Trump down, not the WSJ. He has called the shots all along. If he wants it to be Vance, then many Republican politicians will desert Trump. Trump will have no artillery to fight with, and the politicians only care about power. They’re not with Trump on ideological grounds, just for money. They’re corrupt through and through and can easily be bought.

  9. Aimee says:

    I agree. Vance doesn’t have that “thing” that draws people to Trump. Whatever you want to call it. Vance ain’t got it and frankly no one else in that group does either. Hopefully after Trump is gone for good so will MAGA.

  10. bisynaptic says:

    So, what are they planning, a slow drip of increasingly explosive revelations?

    • Kitten says:

      How does Trump avoid discovery in his $10B lawsuit against Murdoch/ WSJ?

      I understand and agree with the cynicism expressed here, but I also feel like the Epstein Files are just so much bigger than Trump. Watching him behave like a caged animal, throwing everything from the MLK Files to Obamagate at the wall, desperate for anything to stick, is making me think that maybe he sees the writing on the wall.

      One downside to having such a massive RW media ecosystem is that it’s not just Fox News being the sole gatekeeper anymore. There are so many independent media types from Rogan to the guys on Flagrant to Theo Von that aren’t gonna let this go. I’m not saying his insane base can be swayed but I also believe that it’ll be a challenge for him to combat info that might be released from the files if the WSJ lawsuit isn’t settled swiftly.

      At the very least, this shit has to harm Republicans who will be on record as having voted against the release. In the meantime, it will be a feeding frenzy of media types trying to get their hands on leaked intel from the Epstein Files. IDK…ask me tomorrow but right now I’d say this is gonna be an uphill climb for The Mad King.

    • FYI says:

      I hope so!

  11. VelveetaSneeze says:

    “The real news here is that Murdoch had the dirt on Trump all along. Now that the tax cuts for billionaires are permanent, he’s trying to oust the chaos clown in favor of a more pliable Vance.”

    That’s entirely possible. If you think about it, Murdoch, via Vance, could have been tipped off about Johnson’s until-August delay tactic. Releasing the goods drip by drip until then would be a surefire way to let Epstein’s BFF spin out of control. Even if he didn’t know about it, it would still be a super-effective form of attrition, especially because it’s compounded by the knowledge that EBFF knows he can’t bring Murdoch to heel *or* bend him to his will, like he’s used to doing with so many people, including the millions in his MAGA cult. He would be forced to endure what is probably the worst feeling he can experience: helplessness.

    Hell, Murdoch is by nature Roy-Cohen-level evil. When all is said and done, EBFF was only his acolyte.

  12. lizbert says:

    I hesitate to hope given the vast number of crimes and indiscretions that he has gotten away with but… Pumpkin Pinochet may have screwed himself by that $10B WSJ civil suit. The Murdochs are the Journal’s parent company, and while they are despicable in their own right, they are ACTUAL billionaires as opposed to fake ones. If they don’t fold/settle (and why should they?) a lot of what Bigly Twoscoops doesn’t want public will be subject to the discovery process…

    • FYI says:

      Oh, they ain’t foldin’. They turned right around and released this other headline today (about Trump being told his name was in the files). They have more, and it’ll be a trickle truth every two days until his bags are packed.

  13. Mslove says:

    Murdoch should not have this much power. Just think how better off we would be if greedy Rupert weren’t meddling in politics. How much did Rupert’s media empire profit from a Trump presidency? This is all Rupert’s fault, IMO.

  14. Bethy says:

    All these pedos ran in the same circles, and they all have Jeff in common, the CEO of VS, John Casablancas, and Donnie. There’s a Vanity Fair story about this.

  15. maja says:

    Has anyone been held accountable for supporting or turning a blind eye to Jimmy Saville’s crimes? After his death, was there ever an investigation into his crimes, the institutions involved, his financial dealings and the content of his consulting activities?

    • maja says:

      I say this because this type of paedophile often has high-profile connections and therefore any in-depth investigation is usually nipped in the bud. This is also the case with Epstein and Maxwell. Nobody wants their name mentioned in any of these investigations. Whether involved in anything or not. Better to avoid investigations then. To the detriment of the victims, whose suffering remains unpunished.

Commenting Guidelines

Read the article before commenting.

We aim to be a friendly, welcoming site where people can discuss entertainment stories and current events in a lighthearted, safe environment without fear of harassment, excessive negativity, or bullying. Different opinions, backgrounds, ages, and nationalities are welcome here - hatred and bigotry are not. If you make racist or bigoted remarks, comment under multiple names, or wish death on anyone you will be banned. There are no second chances if you violate one of these basic rules.

By commenting you agree to our comment policy and our privacy policy

Do not engage with trolls, contrarians or rude people. Comment "troll" and we will see it.

Please e-mail the moderators at cbcomments at gmail.com to delete a comment if it's offensive or spam. If your comment disappears, it may have been eaten by the spam filter. Please email us to get it retrieved.

You can sign up to get an image next to your name at Gravatar.com Thank you!

Leave a comment after you have read the article

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment