U.S. President Donald Trump opened up on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that is shaking the U.S. political scene on the 28th (local time). During a trip to Scotland, he detailed the reasons for severing his ties with Epstein, who he had buried for over 20 years, in front of reporters while sitting with the British Prime Minister. American media evaluated that this was an unprecedented response given during an official bilateral meeting in a foreign country with overseas leaders present.
On that day, President Trump clarified the Epstein allegations much more specifically than before. He refuted the recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report about the "nude female painting letter" allegation. This allegation claimed that Trump sent a letter containing a painted nude of a woman along with his signature to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, serving as evidence of the two men's friendship.
Trump emphasized, "I do not paint. I am not a person who paints pictures," and added, "I occasionally draw a few lines and a small roof for charity, but I do not paint women." He continued, "I want to focus on the largest trade negotiation in history with the European Union." U.S. ABC reported that this was "the longest and most emotional reaction Trump has shown since the WSJ report."
Trump also provided his first specific explanation regarding why his relationship with Epstein soured. He said, "Epstein did inappropriate things. He stole people that work for me." He added that he "threw him out of Mar-a-Lago for repeating that act." This was a much more specific explanation than the existing position that stated access was blocked after Epstein's sex crimes emerged in 2007.
U.S. media raised the possibility that Trump's mention of "stealing employees" might be related to the testimony of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre testified that while she worked as a staff member at the Mar-a-Lago resort, she was recruited by Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and subjected to sexual exploitation.
In response, some experts commented that this seemed intended to emphasize a distancing from the Epstein allegations by highlighting that his relationship soured due to a personal business dispute, while, in reality, it is likely that he tried to address the situation only after becoming aware that Epstein had used the Mar-a-Lago resort as a place to scout for criminal targets and recruit them.
Trump also reiterated that he "declined the invitation and has never been there" regarding allegations about visiting Epstein's Caribbean private island, known as "Pedophile Island."
The backdrop of Trump's desperate defense stems from a serious political crisis. Earlier, U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi reportedly informed Trump that "the Epstein file mentions the president's name multiple times." The mere mention of a name does not imply involvement in criminal activities. Moreover, given that both Trump and Epstein were operators active in New York, it is not surprising that they had some acquaintance. However, Trump has previously denied the very fact of being listed in Epstein's contacts, leading to growing controversy. CNN, WSJ, and other media outlets have revealed photos from Trump's second wedding showing Epstein as a guest and gifts Trump sent to Epstein, further presenting evidence of their past friendship.
Some in Trump's once-solid core support group, "Make America Great Again (MAGA)," have posted videos on social media burning red MAGA hats—symbols of loyalty—claiming that Trump broke his promise to release the Epstein files. The internal division is deepening, as even far-right Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has recently called for the disclosure of the related files. This issue, which has festered in Washington, is being assessed as a major blow that could disrupt Trump's governing momentum all the way to Scotland.
The intense reaction of American society to the Epstein scandal is rooted in deep-seated distrust and anger toward the "hypocrisy and privilege among the wealthy," going beyond mere sexual crimes. Billionaire Epstein, a former hedge fund manager, committed organized sexual exploitation against dozens of minors, but received only a light sentence of 13 months in prison during his first indictment in 2008. This has stirred public outrage that the judicial system operates favorably only for the rich and powerful.
Since then, there has been a strong societal demand in the U.S. to hold accountable his accomplices in crime even after his death. While the Russian scandal and impeachment situation were complex political battles, the sexual exploitation of minors signifies a moral realm that even supporters find hard to accept.