U.S. lawmaker questions Trump’s account in Epstein case

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky and co-author of legislation calling for the release of files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein, has questioned President Donald Trump’s claims of having no involvement in Epstein’s crimes, The Atlantic reported.

Massie said that although the files released so far are heavily redacted, they already contradict the narrative presented by FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Trump himself.

According to The Atlantic, lawmakers from both parties concluded that senior officials in the Trump administration misrepresented the contents of the documents and plan to demand further clarification from Bondi and Patel.

Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution and was convicted of raping a minor, was re-arrested in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking involving underage girls. He died by suicide in jail in August 2019.

His associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding sex trafficking.

The U.S. Justice Department released Epstein-related materials on December 19. Reuters reported that flight records show Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet at least eight times in the 1990s, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present.