President Donald Trump claimed Friday that he could provide a list of men who “lived with” Jeffrey Epstein, as he deflected questions from reporters about Ghislaine Maxwell and his own connections to the late convicted offender.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on July 25, Trump grew frustrated when asked about Maxwell’s reported meetings with the Department of Justice this week. Instead of answering directly, the president insisted the media focus on “other men” connected to Epstein.
“I’ll give you a list. These guys lived with Jeffrey Epstein — I sure as hell didn’t,” Trump said. “They don’t talk about them. They talk about me. I had nothing to do with the guy.”
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Trump singled out former President Bill Clinton and former Harvard President Larry Summers, saying both were “really close friends” with Epstein — though like Trump, both have denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes. The Wall Street Journal previously reported Summers continued to meet with Epstein even after his 2008 conviction. Clinton, for his part, has long said he cut off all contact more than a decade ago.
The president also lashed out at the press for what he called a “one-sided obsession” with the Epstein case, suggesting the scrutiny is part of a broader effort to distract from his administration’s accomplishments — or what he described as a “coup” led by former President Barack Obama, a reference to baseless accusations he’s recently repeated online.
Despite his claims of detachment from Epstein, Trump’s name has surfaced repeatedly in connection with the late financier. The Wall Street Journal reported that both Trump and Clinton contributed to Epstein’s private birthday book, with Trump allegedly including a cryptic note alongside a drawing of a naked woman — a claim the president is now suing the Journal over.
The renewed spotlight on Trump’s Epstein ties comes as the administration continues to block the full release of Epstein-related files, a decision that has drawn bipartisan criticism and stirred deep divisions within Trump’s MAGA base. The White House has not released any list of associates Trump claims to possess.
Trump and Epstein were once known to socialize in the same elite circles. Trump has said the friendship ended years before Epstein’s 2019 arrest and insists they hadn’t spoken since around 2004.
Asked again about his role in any Epstein-related coverup, Trump deflected once more: “People should really focus on how well the country is doing.”
