Former President Donald Trump lashed out at CNN on Tuesday after the network published newly resurfaced photos showing Jeffrey Epstein attending Trump’s 1993 wedding to Marla Maples. When asked for comment during a phone call with CNN, Trump reportedly responded, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” before repeatedly calling the network “fake news” and abruptly ending the call, according to the outlet.
Background
The report comes amid renewed scrutiny over Trump’s past ties to Epstein following a recent Justice Department memo that stated it would not release additional details about Epstein’s 2019 death in jail. The memo also said the DOJ does not possess a list of Epstein’s alleged clients—fueling frustration and conspiracy theories across the political spectrum.
Trump has long sought to distance himself from Epstein, publicly calling him a “creep” earlier this month. He has alternated between claiming Epstein-related records don’t exist and dismissing investigations as a partisan “hoax” orchestrated by Democrats and left-wing media.
What CNN Found
CNN’s KFILE investigative team unearthed several previously unpublished or rarely seen images and videos. One black-and-white photo shows Epstein at Trump’s wedding reception at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Another shows Trump and Epstein posing together at the 1993 opening of the Harley Davidson Café—Trump’s children also appear in the photo.
Photographer Dafydd Jones, who took one of the wedding photos, told CNN he likely spotted Epstein entering the venue. The images were taken over a decade before Epstein faced his first accusations of sex trafficking.
CNN also highlighted a 1999 video showing Trump and Epstein laughing together at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show, as well as photos from a Mar-a-Lago charity event featuring Trump, Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Prince Andrew.
Trump’s Reaction and Lawsuit
Just days earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent Epstein a note for his 50th birthday in 2003. The typewritten message included Trump’s signature below the outline of a nude woman and read: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump called the letter “fake” and has since announced plans to sue the Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch.
In response to the media coverage, Trump has also said he directed former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of any grand jury material related to the Epstein investigation—pending court approval.
Reactions
White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the CNN photos, calling them “out-of-context frame grabs” from public events. “The fact is that the President kicked [Epstein] out of his club for being a creep,” Cheung said, accusing the media of continuing a “fake news” smear campaign.
The anti-Trump group Republicans Against Trump responded on social media platform X: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Much more damning material is likely to come out soon. This is why Trump is so rattled.”
What’s Next
A judge presiding over the government’s request to unseal grand jury materials related to Ghislaine Maxwell has asked the DOJ for more information and promised to issue a ruling “expeditiously.” The ruling could shed further light on longstanding questions surrounding Epstein’s associates—and potentially Trump’s connection to them.
