President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that former FBI Director James Comey or ex-Attorney General Merrick Garland may have inserted his name into the Jeffrey Epstein files, calling the entire situation a “hoax” driven by political enemies.
Speaking to reporters alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland, Trump dismissed questions about whether he had been informed his name appeared in the Epstein records.
“I haven’t been overly interested in it. It’s a hoax that’s been blown way out of proportion,” Trump said. “Those files were run by the worst scum on earth — Comey, Garland, Biden. They ran them for four years. If they had anything, they would’ve released it already.”
Calling the matter “phony” and “fake,” Trump compared it to the debunked Steele dossier, which he referred to as the “fake news dossier.” He alleged the same “sick people” behind that effort were now driving Epstein-related accusations.
On a Pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell
Asked whether he would consider a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate convicted of trafficking, Trump confirmed he has the authority but said no one had brought it up formally.
“I’m allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody’s approached me, nobody’s asked,” Trump said. “It’s in the news, but right now it would be inappropriate to talk about it.”
Trump Reiterates He Cut Ties with Epstein
Trump also sought to clarify his past relationship with Epstein, reiterating that he had severed all ties with the disgraced financier long before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. He claimed he threw Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago after learning he had poached staff from Trump’s club.
“He hired help who worked for me, and I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ Then he did it again,” Trump said. “So I threw him out. I’m glad I did, if you want to know the truth. He became persona non grata.”
Trump’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny of high-profile figures connected to Epstein as legal battles continue over the release of sealed court documents. The matter has resurfaced following questions about why Trump administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, allegedly withheld investigative files.
Despite the speculation, Trump maintains the accusations are politically motivated.
“It’s a setup, just like everything else,” he said. “They’re desperate and they’re dirty.”
