Trump claims Epstein ‘stole’ young women from Mar-a-Lago spa
When asked aboard Air Force One if the individuals were young women, Trump replied, “the answer is yes”, adding that they were hired “out of the spa” he operated
Former US President Donald Trump has said he ended his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after the financier allegedly "stole" young women who worked at his Mar-a-Lago beach club spa.
The remarks came as Trump returned from Scotland and faced renewed questions about his ties to Epstein, according to a report by the BBC.
"He took people, I say 'don't do it anymore', you know they work for me... beyond that, he took some others," Trump said.
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"Once he did that, that was the end of him."
When asked aboard Air Force One if the individuals were young women, Trump replied, "the answer is yes", adding that they were hired "out of the spa" he operated.
Trump also mentioned Virginia Giuffre, who claimed she began working at Mar-a-Lago in 2000 when she was 16.
According to court documents unsealed in 2019, Giuffre alleged Ghislaine Maxwell recruited her to provide massages to Epstein while she was employed at the spa.
Giuffre accused Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, allegations both men denied. She died by suicide earlier this year in Australia.
The controversy comes as Maxwell's legal team indicated she would testify before Congress only if granted immunity or clemency and provided with advance questions. A House committee has subpoenaed Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison term for aiding Epstein in exploiting young girls, to testify on 11 August.
In a letter obtained by CBS, Maxwell's lawyers said she would appear only under strict legal protections. However, House Oversight Chairman James Comer ruled out immunity, saying, "There are not many Republicans that want to give immunity to someone that may have been sex trafficking children."
Trump, who previously pledged to release files on Epstein, said last week that granting Maxwell clemency was within his power but that he had "not thought" about it.
The former president reiterated that Epstein was expelled from Mar-a-Lago "for being a creep", though he admitted the reasons were "sort of a little bit of the same thing" as his earlier comments about the spa workers.
Trump and Epstein, once close friends, reportedly fell out in the early 2000s, partly over a Palm Beach property dispute. The two were often photographed together at social events, and at least two women later accused Trump of sexual misconduct at gatherings attended by Epstein. Trump has denied all allegations.
Epstein was first indicted in 2006 for solicitation of prostitution and later served time before his 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. He died by suicide in prison while awaiting trial.
Maxwell, convicted of helping Epstein abuse underage girls, continues to serve her sentence while appealing for leniency in exchange for testimony.
