Newly released emails show Epstein called Trump 'evil beyond belief, mad'

A batch of emails from Jeffrey Epstein's estate released by the House Oversight Committee provides additional detail on the long-scrutinized relationship between the convicted sex offender and former President Donald Trump, though they do not fundamentally alter the known history of their association.

For years, Trump has sought to downplay his ties to Epstein, who moved in the same social circles in Palm Beach and Manhattan during the 1990s and early 2000s. The two reportedly flew on private jets together, attended parties at Mar-a-Lago, and appeared at Victoria's Secret runway shows, says CNN.

Epstein once described Trump as his "closest friend for 10 years," a characterization echoed by others in their social orbit. Trump, however, has offered varying public assessments, calling Epstein a "terrific guy" in 2002 and later saying he was "not a fan."

He has also described Epstein as a "creep," claiming their relationship fractured years before Epstein's most serious legal issues. Trump has said the split was tied to a dispute over a Palm Beach mansion auction and because Epstein "stole people that worked for me" at Mar-a-Lago.

The newly released emails highlight three main points. They suggest that Trump remained a focus for Epstein even after their friendship ended.

A 2011 email from Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell, later convicted of sex trafficking, claimed Trump "spent hours" with a trafficking and rape victim inside his home.

House Republicans identified the victim as Virginia Giuffre, who has never publicly implicated Trump in any wrongdoing.

Epstein also asserted that Trump "knew about the girls," appearing to reference Trump's claim that he expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for poaching young women who worked there.

Additionally, a 2018 text exchange shows Epstein asserting that he was uniquely positioned to take down Trump: after an unidentified person wrote that people were trying to undermine the president, Epstein replied, "yes thx. its wild. because I am the one able to take him down."

The emails also contain Epstein's private, often blunt assessments of Trump during his presidency. In March 2018, Epstein described Trump as "evil beyond belief, mad," adding that "he feels alone. and is nuts !!!"

In 2017, he wrote to former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers: "i have met some very bad people ,, none as bad as trump. not one decent cell in his body.. so yes – dangerous." Other messages from 2017 and 2018 described Trump as "f***ing crazy," speculated he might be showing "early dementia," and called him "a maniac" and "borderline insane."

Epstein also stated, "your world does not understand how dumb he really is," and told former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, "i know how dirty Donald is."

The White House rejected any suggestion that Trump was aware of Epstein's activities.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the emails "prove absolutely nothing" and reiterated that Trump expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Trump has accused Democrats of attempting to revive scrutiny of his past ties with Epstein and said he would request investigations from former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice, specifically naming former President Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JP Morgan, and Chase.

The emails provide a rare window into Epstein's private views of Trump and the dynamics of their relationship, even as Trump has maintained that he severed ties with Epstein long before the financier's convictions.