FBI was repeatedly warned about Trump’s Epstein ties, says accuser
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Maria Farmer’s decades-old testimony adds new pressure on federal agencies, as questions mount over why key leads involving Trump and others were never pursued.
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Audrey Strauss, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during a news conference, July 2, 2020, in New York (AP)
Maria Farmer, one of the earliest and most prominent accusers of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, told The New York Times that she repeatedly urged the FBI to investigate not just Epstein, but also powerful individuals in his inner circle, including Donald Trump.
In an interview published this week, Farmer said she specifically named Trump to FBI agents during interviews in both 1996 and 2006, raising concerns about a disturbing encounter she experienced in Epstein’s Manhattan office in 1995. Despite her early warnings, she says she has “long wondered” whether the FBI ever seriously pursued the lead.
Farmer recalled the incident in vivid detail. At the time, she was working for Epstein at his Upper East Side townhouse, helping him acquire art and manage the front desk. One evening, she said, she was unexpectedly summoned to Epstein’s office while wearing running shorts. Moments later, Trump arrived, dressed in a suit.
Farmer described feeling uncomfortable as Trump “hovered over her, staring at her bare legs.” She said Epstein entered the room and told Trump, “No, no. She’s not here for you.” As the two men left, she claimed she overheard Trump comment that he thought she was 16 years old.
Farmer clarified that this was the only unsettling encounter she had with Trump and emphasized that she never witnessed him act inappropriately with other women or girls during her time working for Epstein.
Renewed scrutiny amid sealed files, public pressure
Farmer’s remarks come as public pressure mounts over unreleased Epstein-related documents, which are believed to contain names, testimonies, tips, and evidence never brought to light or used in court. The revelation that she raised concerns about Trump decades ago has reignited debate about how the case was handled and whether certain individuals received preferential treatment.
Trump has never been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein, nor has he been the subject of a formal investigation tied to the case.
The Trump campaign pushed back forcefully against Farmer’s account. Communications director Steven Cheung told The Times, “The president was never in his office,” referring to Epstein’s Manhattan residence. “The fact is that the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the story outright, saying, “Dumb NYTimes reporters are desperately recycling news stories to try to link President Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. It’s not news that Epstein was a member of the Mar-a-Lago club, because it’s the same club Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of for being a creep. These stories are tired and pathetic attempts to distract from all the success of President Trump’s administration.”
Farmer’s history and Epstein’s legal legacy
Farmer was in her mid-20s when she worked for Epstein in 1995–1996. In her role at the front desk of his townhouse, she said she frequently observed a revolving door of young women, underage girls, and celebrity guests, including figures who would later be tied to Epstein's broader network of influence and abuse.
Epstein’s legal saga culminated in a controversial 2008 plea deal that allowed him to avoid more serious federal charges by pleading guilty to state-level offenses in Florida. He died in a New York jail in 2019 under what officials ruled a suicide, while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted and sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for her role in grooming and trafficking underage girls for Epstein.
Though Trump once referred to Epstein as a “terrific guy” in a 2002 interview and appeared alongside him in social videos from that era, by 2019 Trump distanced himself, telling reporters he was “not a fan” and had cut ties with Epstein nearly two decades prior. Following Epstein’s death, Trump amplified conspiracy theories on social media, suggesting that Bill Clinton, who also had ties to Epstein, was involved. Clinton denied any wrongdoing and denied visiting Epstein’s private island.
Adding to the controversy, a Wall Street Journal report in 2023 revealed that Trump had sent Epstein a sexually suggestive birthday message in 2003. Trump dismissed the report as “a hoax” and later filed a $10 billion defamation suit against the newspaper, its parent company, and Rupert Murdoch.
Farmer’s claims, now resurfacing in the context of rising public distrust and a backlog of sealed records, could reignite calls for the full disclosure of Epstein’s files, a promise Trump once made but never fulfilled during his presidency. Critics say his attorney general, Pam Bondi, and FBI director, Kash Patel, walked back pledges of transparency, deepening suspicions among both Trump’s supporters and opponents.
Wider context
These developments come at a moment of rising public suspicion: a new YouGov poll released earlier this month shows that 40% of Americans believe Donald Trump was connected to Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes, while a majority remain skeptical that true accountability will ever be achieved.
The nationwide survey, conducted among 7,237 adults, found that 27% of respondents do not believe Trump was involved, while 33% said they were unsure.
The results reflect deepening public mistrust surrounding the Epstein case and its ties to powerful political and financial elites. While a significant share of Americans believe Trump had some involvement, the mixed opinions reveal a broader crisis of confidence in the possibility of justice.
The topic has resurfaced recently, as high-profile figures, including US billionaire Elon Musk, have suggested that files from the Epstein investigation remain sealed because Trump is mentioned in them.
Details of the Epstein case and allegations
In 2019, Jeffrey Epstein was charged with trafficking minors for sexual exploitation, a charge that carried a prison sentence of up to 40 years, along with conspiracy to engage in such trafficking.
Prosecutors alleged that Epstein abused dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005. Victims were reportedly paid in cash and, in some cases, recruited other girls as young as 14 years old.
After his arrest in early July 2019, a court in Manhattan denied Epstein bail. Weeks later, he was found “semi-conscious” in his jail cell and was later pronounced dead. Authorities concluded that he had committed suicide.
Musk claims, FBI denial add to speculation
In early June, Elon Musk claimed that Epstein-related files had not been made public because Trump was mentioned in them. This statement added fuel to ongoing public speculation.
However, in a memorandum issued this week, the FBI and the US Department of Justice stated that Epstein had no incriminating “client list” and did not engage in blackmail of high-profile individuals.
Trump and Epstein, a history
Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein dates back to the late 1980s, when both figures operated within elite circles in New York and Palm Beach. They were photographed together at various social gatherings, including parties at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. In a 2002 interview, Trump called Epstein a “terrific guy” and remarked that “he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Flight logs indicate that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet multiple times in the 1990s, and contact books revealed both his and Melania Trump’s numbers. Court records also allege that Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell recruited a teenage employee at Mar-a-Lago in 2000 to provide massages to Epstein.
Their friendship reportedly ended in 2004 after a real estate dispute over a Palm Beach estate. Trump later claimed he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for inappropriate conduct, though this has been contested.
