Trump Warned Police Early About Epstein

The newly released Justice Department records shed fresh light on how President Donald Trump viewed Jeffrey Epstein long before Epstein became a national scandal. According to an FBI interview summary, Trump personally called Palm Beach police in 2006 during the very first investigation into Epstein and bluntly condemned him, praising authorities for stepping in and making clear he wanted nothing to do with him.

The account, documented in a 2019 FBI interview with the former Palm Beach police chief, supports Trump’s long stated claim that he cut ties early and pushed Epstein out of his world once red flags became obvious.

Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy financier who moved comfortably among elites in New York and Palm Beach. Behind that polished image, he was exploiting underage girls for sex. Palm Beach police began investigating him in 2006 after reports surfaced of teenage girls being abused at his Florida mansion.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor. The plea deal allowed him to avoid federal prosecution, a decision that later drew intense criticism as evidence mounted that his crimes were far more extensive.

The 2006 Police Call That Stands Out

According to the FBI summary, Trump called then Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter after learning police were investigating Epstein.

Reiter told FBI agents that Trump said, “Thank goodness you’re stopping him, everyone has known he’s been doing this.”

Trump reportedly emphasized that “people in New York knew Epstein was disgusting,” a remark that underscores how widely rumors and concerns about Epstein circulated among elites long before prosecutors acted decisively.

Reiter also told the FBI that Trump said he had thrown Epstein out of Mar a Lago, the Palm Beach club Trump owned, once Epstein crossed clear lines.

Trump’s Warning About Ghislaine Maxwell

Trump’s call did not stop with Epstein. According to the FBI document, Trump told Reiter that Ghislaine Maxwell was Epstein’s operative.

“He said she is evil and to focus on her,” the FBI summary states.

Maxwell would later be convicted in 2021 for helping recruit and groom underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. She is now serving a 20 year prison sentence.

Why Trump Cut Ties

The FBI summary also recounts Trump telling Reiter that he once encountered Epstein in the presence of teenagers and immediately removed himself from the situation.

“Trump told [Reiter] that he was around Epstein once when teenagers were present and Trump got the hell out of there,” the document states.

Reiter added that Trump was one of the very first people to call police once news broke that Epstein was under investigation. That reaction stands in contrast to many powerful figures who stayed silent or distanced themselves quietly.

Epstein’s Arrest and Death

Epstein was arrested again in July 2019 on federal child sex trafficking charges in New York, more than a decade after the original Palm Beach case. The renewed investigation brought his network and past protections under intense scrutiny.

In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his federal jail cell. Authorities ruled his death a suicide, though the circumstances have fueled lasting public skepticism and controversy.

The FBI interview summary with Reiter is one of millions of documents released by the Department of Justice in late January related to Epstein and Maxwell. The release coincided with renewed political attention to the case and Maxwell’s refusal to testify before Congress, where she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights.

Her attorney has publicly sought executive clemency from Trump, arguing that only Maxwell can provide a complete account. Trump has said he has not considered granting her a pardon.

Slow Authorities, Early Warnings

For years, Epstein and Maxwell operated in plain sight, protected by wealth, influence, and institutional hesitation. The Palm Beach case itself stalled after the 2008 plea deal, allowing Epstein to continue abusing girls for years.

Against that backdrop, the 2006 call described in the FBI document paints Trump as an early and unusually direct critic. While many insiders kept their distance quietly, Trump, according to police recollections, picked up the phone, condemned Epstein as disgusting, identified Maxwell as dangerous, and backed law enforcement action.

Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. The White House has repeatedly stated that Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar a Lago decades ago for inappropriate behavior toward female employees.

On the Right Side of History

The record shows that long before Epstein became a symbol of elite impunity, Trump was already warning police and cutting ties. At a time when authorities moved slowly and powerful figures looked the other way, Trump’s reported actions align with his claim that he recognized the danger early and acted on it.

As more documents continue to surface, the contrast between early warnings and delayed accountability remains one of the most troubling lessons of the Epstein case.