Newly Unsealed Records Reveal Deeper Ties Between Trump and Epstein During 1990s
Washington (CNN) — A fresh batch of unsealed court documents surfaced Saturday, casting a new light on the decades-old relationship between President Donald Trump and the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The records, which include previously redacted deposition excerpts and flight logs, offer a more granular look at their social overlap during the mid-to-late 1990s.
While the President has long sought to distance himself from Epstein—stating years ago that they had a "falling out"—the newly released materials suggest the frequency of their interactions in Palm Beach and New York was more consistent than previously acknowledged by the White House.
New Details from the Florida Circles
The documents, stemming from a long-running civil litigation involving Epstein’s former associates, detail several social gatherings at Mar-a-Lago where Epstein was a recurring guest. According to the records, witness testimony describes a period in 1994 where the two men were seen together on multiple occasions, often discussing real estate and social appearances.
One specific deposition highlights a 1995 dinner in Manhattan. The witness, a former assistant to Epstein, claims that the two men shared a "business-like but friendly" rapport. "They were part of the same orbit," the testimony reads, though it stops short of alleging any direct involvement by Trump in Epstein’s documented criminal activities.
The White House Response
The White House moved quickly to dismiss the significance of the documents on Saturday afternoon. In a brief statement, a spokesperson characterized the release as "old news repackaged to create a distraction."
"The President addressed these matters years ago," the statement read. "He was never part of Epstein’s inner circle, and any suggestion to the contrary is purely political theater designed to overshadow the administration's current domestic successes."
Despite the dismissal, legal experts suggest that the timing of these releases—coming as they do during a high-stakes legislative session—could provide fuel for congressional critics.
Missing Links and Flight Logs
One of the most scrutinized aspects of the new documents is an addendum to the infamous "Black Book" and supplemental flight records. While Trump’s name has appeared on flight logs in the past, these new entries suggest a 1997 flight from Palm Beach to New Jersey that had not been widely documented in previous investigations.
Legal analysts note that while being on a plane is not evidence of wrongdoing, the cumulative weight of these records makes the "falling out" narrative more complex to maintain.
"What we are seeing is a pattern of social proximity," said Sarah Jennings, a former federal prosecutor. "The question isn't just about the flight; it's about the level of access and the duration of the association."
A Shadow from the Past
The Epstein saga continues to be a ghost that haunts many of the world’s most powerful figures. For President Trump, these documents represent a return to a period of his life that he has frequently tried to keep in the rearview mirror.
As the public sifts through hundreds of pages of legal jargon and redacted names, the political fallout remains uncertain. For now, the documents serve as a stark reminder of a bygone era of New York and Florida high society—an era that continues to demand transparency decades later.
CNN’s Legal Team and Political Desk contributed to this report.
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