A fresh trove of released correspondence has exposed how the late financier Jeffrey Epstein attempted to present himself as possessing valuable insight about Donald Trump that could be passed to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The emails, part of thousands of pages made public this week, reveal Epstein's extensive international network and his particular interest in Trump's foreign policy during the early years of his presidency.
The Putin Connection Attempt
Weeks before President Trump met Putin in Helsinki in July 2018, Epstein wrote to Thorbjorn Jagland, former Norwegian prime minister then leading the Council of Europe. The disgraced financier suggested Jagland could propose to Putin that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov could gain insight by speaking with him.
Epstein claimed in the exchange that he had previously discussed Trump with Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, before Churkin's death in 2017. He wrote: 'Churkin was great. He understood trump after our conversations. it is not complex. he must be seen to get something its that simple.'
Jagland responded that he would meet a Lavrov aide the following day and would raise Epstein's connection idea, though it remains unknown whether anything resulted from this proposal.
Reactions to Helsinki Summit
The email cache includes reactions to the controversial Helsinki summit, where Trump faced widespread criticism for appearing to side with Putin over US intelligence agencies.
On July 16, 2018, former US Treasury secretary Larry Summers wrote to Epstein: 'Do the Russians have stuff on Trump? Today was appalling even by his standards.'
Epstein responded the next morning, writing: 'My email is full with similar comments. wow. Im sure his view is that it went super well. he thinks he has charmed his adversary.. Admittedly he has no idea of the symbolism. He has no idea of most things.' Epstein additionally described Trump's performance as 'predictable'.
Advice to Bannon and Global Networking
The correspondence shows Epstein advising Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist, on maintaining influence in Europe. He told Bannon: 'If you are going to play here, you'll have to spend time, europe by remote doesn't work.'
Epstein offered to arrange meetings between Bannon and foreign leaders while warning that he needed to stay long enough to avoid disappointing them. He cautioned: 'The fear is that you gin up their hopes and emotions and then abandon them. I think you want to be an insider, not an outsider flying in and out.'
Other messages illustrate Epstein using his global contacts to trade thoughts about Trump or signal his own importance. In December 2016, shortly after Trump's election victory, Epstein wrote to billionaire Tom Pritzker about receiving a tent from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Epstein also assisted others in navigating the incoming administration. Two weeks before Trump's inauguration, Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem asked Epstein whether he should attend after receiving an invitation via Trump ally Tom Barrack. Epstein said it would be crowded but useful for contacts, prompting Sulayem to inquire about shaking hands with Trump.
The emails form part of an expanding archive of Epstein's communications being published as part of a broader inquiry into his dealings before his 2019 death in federal custody. In one message, Epstein claimed to be 'the only one able to take him down' regarding Trump, while calling him 'borderline insane' in another.
The White House has denied Trump knew about Epstein's crimes and accused Democratic Party members of peddling false narratives in response to the document release. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
