Newly Unsealed Documents Support Claims of Trump’s Cooperation in Early Epstein Investigation
Newly unsealed documents have shed fresh light on the relationship between former President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, appearing to corroborate recent statements made by House Speaker Mike Johnson regarding Trump’s role in the initial investigation into the disgraced financier. According to the records, Trump engaged in a phone conversation with Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter in 2006, during which he reportedly expressed support for the authorities’ actions, stating, “Thank goodness you’re stopping him.”
This revelation aligns with narratives previously put forward by Trump’s legal team and political allies, who have long maintained that the former president was the only high-profile figure to actively assist law enforcement during the initial probe into Epstein’s activities in Florida. The documentation supports the timeline that Trump had banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club prior to Epstein’s first conviction, a move Speaker Johnson cited as evidence of Trump acting as a “whistleblower” against the sexual predator.
Background information regarding the timeline establishes that the relationship between the two men soured years before Epstein’s 2008 plea deal. While the two were socially acquainted in the 1990s and early 2000s, reports indicate a severe falling out occurred around 2004. This dispute was ostensibly linked to a bidding war over a Palm Beach waterfront mansion, the Maison de L’Amitie, which Trump eventually won. Following this, and amid allegations of Epstein sexually assaulting an underage girl at Mar-a-Lago—a claim investigated by police—Trump permanently barred Epstein from the property. In subsequent depositions, attorney Bradley Edwards, who represented Epstein’s victims, noted that Trump was “helpful” to their case and provided information without hesitation when subpoenaed.
However, legal analysts and critics argue that characterizing Trump as a “whistleblower” may be an overstatement of the events. Skeptics point out that the 2006 phone call to Chief Reiter occurred after the police investigation was already well underway, rather than Trump initiating the inquiry. Furthermore, political opponents frequently cite a 2002 New York Magazine interview in which Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” who shared his affinity for beautiful women, noting that many were “on the younger side.”
While the nature of the rift between Trump and Epstein remains a subject of debate—specifically whether it was driven by moral objection or a business rivalry—the unsealed transcript of the call to Chief Reiter provides documented evidence that, by 2006, Trump was openly supportive of law enforcement efforts to detain Epstein.
