Newly uncovered archival footage and photos have revealed fresh details about the relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, CNN reports.
Epstein Attended Trump’s 1993 Wedding
Photos from 1993 confirm for the first time that Epstein attended Trump’s wedding to Marla Maples. Previously, it was not known whether Epstein was present at the wedding, which took place at the Plaza Hotel. Furthermore, footage from a 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion event in New York shows Trump and Epstein smiling near each other.
The release of these new images, predating Epstein’s well-known legal troubles, comes amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s connections to Epstein. The recent decision by the Department of Justice not to release long-promised Epstein files has caused outrage within some segments of Trump’s MAGA movement.
Trump Dismisses Claims, White House Responds
In a brief phone call with CNN, Trump responded to a question about the wedding photos by saying, “You’ve got to be kidding.” He then accused CNN of consistently producing “fake news” and ended the call.
In a statement to CNN, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said, “These are nothing more than ripped frames from video and harmless images from widely attended events to imply something nefarious.” He added, “The fact is that the President banned him from his club because he was a weird guy. This is nothing more than a continuation of fake news concocted by Democrats and the liberal media.”
Epstein’s History and Trump’s Prior Connections
Allegations that Epstein sexually abused underage girls first surfaced in 2005, leading to his arrest a year later. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and later died in prison, sparking numerous theories about the cause of death, which the medical examiner ruled as suicide by hanging.
Trump’s relationship with Epstein dates back to the 1980s and included regular meetings at social events in Palm Beach and New York. According to the Washington Post, the two had a falling out in the mid-2000s over a real estate dispute in Palm Beach. Photos and recordings indicate that the two had a friendly relationship even before that. In 2019, NBC published footage from a party where Trump spent time with Epstein in 1992.
