WASHINGTON
US President Donald said Monday that he believes the public release of photos linked to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is “terrible,” expressing sympathy for former President Bill Clinton and others whose images have resurfaced.
"There are a lot of people that are angry about all of the pictures of other people, you know, but I think it's terrible," Trump told reporters in the state of Florida when asked whether he was surprised by the number of photos of Clinton in the Epstein files.
"Look, I like Bill Clinton. I've always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I've been nice to him. He's been nice to me. I hate to see photos come out of him," he said.
Trump suggested the controversy was being driven largely by Democrats, along with what he called “a couple of bad Republicans.” He added that scrutiny has not been limited to Clinton. “So they give me their photos of me too,” he said.
The president said he opposes the public display of photos involving multiple figures connected to Epstein, arguing that some individuals may have met Epstein without knowledge of his criminal conduct.
“I don’t like the pictures of Bill Clinton being shown. I don’t like the pictures of other people being shown. I think it’s a terrible thing,” he said.
“You probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago, many years ago."
Trump said the scrutiny surrounding the Epstein files was being used as a distraction from the Republican Party’s "tremendous" success.
Epstein was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty in a Florida court and was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008, but critics call the relatively minor conviction a “sweetheart deal.”
His victims have alleged that he operated a sprawling sex trafficking network that was used by members of the wealthy and political elite.
Epstein’s case has remained a politically charged issue in the US, with lawmakers and victims’ advocates from across the spectrum demanding greater transparency about his network of associates and any individuals who may have facilitated his crimes.
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Their past social and business ties as well as Epstein’s extensive links to political, business and academic figures in the US and abroad have fueled calls for the broad release of official records.