Edith Hejberg
While the president seeks to shift focus away from the controversy, his latest remarks have reignited public scrutiny.
President Donald Trump has alleged that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein poached young female staffers from his Mar-a-Lago resort, including Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most high-profile accusers. Trump says the staffing dispute marked the beginning of their personal rift.
The Spa Staff Dispute
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump explained that Epstein “stole people that worked for me,” specifically employees from Mar-a-Lago’s spa.
He said the dispute was “inappropriate” enough for him to cut ties with Epstein, a claim that offers a different explanation from previous White House statements.
White House Versions of the Break
In recent weeks, Trump’s aides have repeatedly said the president distanced himself from Epstein in the mid‑2000s due to Epstein’s “creepy” behavior.
Spokesman Steven Cheung previously claimed Trump expelled Epstein for “being a creep” around club members, without mentioning staff poaching.
Giuffre at the Centre of the Claim
When asked directly if Giuffre, who said she was recruited from Mar-a-Lago at age 16, was among the staff Epstein hired away,
Trump replied: “I think that was one of the people, yeah. He stole her.” He insisted she “had no complaints about us… none whatsoever.”
A Complicated Timeline
Giuffre has long alleged that Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell abused her and “lent” her to powerful men, including Prince Andrew.
She was recruited in 2000, yet Trump spoke warmly about Epstein in 2002, describing him as a “terrific guy” who liked “beautiful women… on the younger side.”
Epstein’s Extended Mar-a-Lago Membership
Despite Trump’s claim of an early break, Epstein remained on the club’s membership rolls until October 2007, over a year after his arrest for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
This detail, reported in a 2020 book on Mar-a-Lago, further muddies the timeline.
Maxwell’s Ongoing Legal Maneuvers
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to traffic minors.
She has signaled a willingness to testify before Congress but is demanding immunity and other concessions before taking the stand.
Political and Public Fallout
The Epstein scandal continues to shadow Trump politically, with critics pointing to inconsistencies in his timeline and relationship with the disgraced financier.
While the president seeks to shift focus away from the controversy, his latest remarks have reignited public scrutiny.
