What we know about Epstein’s emails alleging that Trump knew of his conduct

The trove of emails released Wednesday (local time) by lawmakers includes numerous references to US President Donald Trump.

Among them, House Democrats highlighted three emails between Epstein and his associates suggesting that Mr Trump might have been more aware of Epstein’s conduct than he has publicly acknowledged.

House Republicans asserted that the emails revealed little information, and Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, called them a “clear distraction.”

Here’s what we know about what was happening at the time the emails were sent:

2011: Epstein emails Ghislaine Maxwell about a victim he claims Trump met at his house.

In Spring 2011, Epstein was emerging from legal troubles and trying to stave off further consequences.

The tabloids had spotted him out and about, trying to return to his old social circles. Epstein was sensitive to what was being said about him, emailing with his employees about negative news coverage.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump, now a star on his reality television show, “The Apprentice,” was talking publicly about running for president.

On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said on the social media platform X that the victim the email exchange referred to was Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who was 16 when she was recruited by Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell while she was working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in 2000.

When Epstein sent the email in April 2011, Giuffre had recently gone public for the first time about her experiences with Epstein, telling a British tabloid that he had abused her and trafficked her to other men and providing the outlet with a now famous photo of herself, Prince Andrew and Maxwell.

In 2016, Giuffre was asked in a civil case if Mr Trump had witnessed the sexual abuse of minors in Epstein’s home, and she said, “I don’t think Donald Trump participated in anything.”

A representative for Giuffre’s family declined to comment.

2015: Epstein and Michael Wolff strategise around a Trump media appearance.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Epstein remained mostly in the background, despite curiosity about his ties to not only Mr Trump but also former President Bill Clinton. Epstein was dealing with fallout from his conduct but was far from the infamous figure he is now.

Still, Epstein continued to socialise with notable people. Among them was journalist Michael Wolff, who went on to write a biography of Mr Trump early in his first administration.

During a December 15, 2015, presidential debate, Mr Trump did not field any questions about Epstein, according to a transcript. It was unclear if he was asked about the matter separately.

2019: Epstein tells Wolff “of course” Trump “knew about the girls.”

By January 2019, Mr Trump was in the White House, and Epstein was back in the news. A series of Miami Herald articles showed that he received light treatment from prosecutors years earlier, including from Alexander Acosta, who was Mr Trump’s labor secretary at the time.

Epstein’s schedules showed he had continued to meet with Wolff, who has said he sat in on some unreleased recorded interviews that Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, had conducted with Epstein.

Soon after this email exchange, the Justice Department said it was investigating how Epstein’s plea deal had been handled.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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