Former US President Donald Trump has publicly defended his political rival Bill Clinton in the wake of the latest document release related to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Trump labelled the publication of the files, which feature numerous high-profile figures, as 'a terrible thing'.
Trump's Defence and Bipartisan Blame
Trump expressed sympathy for those pictured with the late convicted sex offender, stating he did not like seeing images of Clinton or others being shown. 'I know there are a lot of people that are angry about all the pictures of other people. I think it's terrible,' he said. However, he was quick to assign blame for the release, pointing the finger at 'mostly Democrats' in Congress, alongside a few 'bad Republicans'.
The legislative push, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was indeed a bipartisan effort, spearheaded by Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie. Trump acknowledged his own inclusion in the cache, noting 'there are photos of me, too'.
A 'Distraction' and Past Associations
The former president framed the entire episode as a political manoeuvre designed to overshadow Republican successes. 'This whole thing with Epstein is a way to try to deflect from the tremendous success of the Republican Party,' Trump asserted, adding that many were angry the issue continued to resurface.
Reflecting on Epstein's social reach during the 1990s and 2000s, Trump described him as a ubiquitous figure. 'Everybody was friendly with this guy. He was around, he was all over Palm Beach and other places,' he remarked, name-checking former Harvard President Larry Summers as one of Epstein's 'best friend[s]'. Despite this, Trump emphasised that he had personally thrown Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club.
Comments on Clinton and the Island
Trump offered a characteristically mixed assessment of the Democratic former president. 'I like Bill Clinton, I've always gotten along with Bill Clinton... I respect him,' he stated, while also suggesting Clinton was 'a big boy' who could handle the scrutiny. He posited that many in the files may have innocently met Epstein years ago.
The press conference also briefly touched upon Epstein's infamous private island, Little St James, though Trump did not delve into detailed commentary about the location central to the financier's crimes.
The latest document drop continues to cast a long shadow over political and elite circles on both sides of the Atlantic, revealing the extensive connections of a man convicted of sex trafficking minors.
