Trump Denies Epstein Evidence As 'Fake News'. Again.
- David Hitchen
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
New photos showing Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein side by side at Trump’s 1993 wedding to Marla Maples and at a 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion event have been dismissed by Trump with his go-to 'fake news' response.
Trump told a CNN reporter, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” called the network “fake news” and ended the call after 30 seconds. His communications director described the images as “out-of-context frame grabs” and said of Epstein that Trump had “kicked him out of his club for being a creep.”
Trump once praised Epstein as a “terrific guy” but now claims they fell out “a long time ago” (presumably after 2000) Despite this, his name also appears in files that the Department of Justice has yet to release.
The newly surfaced photos and videos were published by CNN on 22 July 2025, after a review of archival footage from the 1990s and early 2000s; they confirm that Epstein attended high-profile events at which Trump was present.
Trump’s spokesperson said these images showed only routine contact at public gatherings and reaffirmed that Trump had broken ties with Epstein years ago. But the timing of their release, amid calls to unseal grand jury testimony related to Epstein’s sex-trafficking case, has intensified calls for full transparency.
Legal and political experts note that Trump’s standard tactics - denial, distraction and legal counter-attacks - are less effective when faced with concrete visual evidence. Jan-Werner Müller, writing in The Guardian on 24 July 2025, argues that tangible proof leaves no room for plausible deflection. He says that by suing media outlets and attacking critics, Trump keeps the story alive rather than shutting it down.
In contrast, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s reported warning to Trump that his name appeared in the Epstein files suggests the matter reaches beyond mere reputation management.
What the right view as routine social contact has become a liability for Trump’s camp. Some supporters insist that being listed in Epstein’s “black book” or flight logs does not imply wrongdoing. This mirrors similar defences in other cases, such as the scrutiny faced by Britain’s Prince Andrew over his ties to Epstein, where royal aides argued that visits did not amount to complicity in criminal acts.
Globally, leaders from Silvio Berlusconi in Italy to Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil have weathered scandals by framing questionable associations as harmless social links.
Public opinion in the United States remains divided. A Reuters report from 16 July 2025 notes growing bipartisan pressure on the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related documents, while a Florida judge recently denied a request to unseal grand jury records, citing secrecy laws.
Polls show that voters on both sides want to know the full story, even if many believe no charges will follow - whether they think Trump is not guilty of any offences, or simply that he won't be charged for them, is unclear...
This episode fits a wider trend. Populist figures, accustomed to rapid news cycles and loyal followings, can no longer rely on gutting media narratives with bluster alone. As legal scholar Alan Dershowitz has hinted, the remaining sealed records may hold further surprises that challenge the limits of political immunity. For a public weary of scandal, the demand for clear facts is not a partisan cry but a call for accountability.
Even as Trump’s allies press their case, the push for full disclosure gains strength. Progressive voices see in this a test of democratic norms. What the right deem a smear campaign, critics call a necessary step towards truth. The weeks ahead may well determine whether visual proof trumps political spin or whether the cycle of deflection endures.
References: Kelly Rissman, “Resurfaced photos show Epstein attending Trump’s 1993 wedding to his second wife Marla Maples,” The Independent, 23 July 2025, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-cnn-epstein-photos-b2794524.html
CNN Politics, “Exclusive: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein,” 22 July 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/22/politics/trump-epstein-photos/index.html
“Never-Before-Seen Photos of Trump and Epstein Unearthed,” The Daily Beast, 23 July 2025, https://www.thedailybeast.com/never-before-seen-photos-of-trump-and-epstein-unearthed/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Jan-Werner Müller, “Why Trump’s playbook is failing in the Epstein case,” The Guardian, 24 July 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/24/trump-playbook-jeffrey-epstein“
Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy fallout puts Trump, White House in unfamiliar role,” Reuters, 16 July 2025, https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-white-house-race-stem-epstein-conspiracy-fallout-2025-07-16/
“Relationship of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein,” Wikipedia, accessed 24 July 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relationship_of_Donald_Trump_and_Jeffrey_Epstein
“Prince Andrew, Duke of York,” Wikipedia, accessed 24 July 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Andrew%2C_Duke_of_York
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