The Epstein scandal has become quicksand for the president for a variety of reasons, including his own misguided rhetoric about the intensifying story.
Trump wonât stop talking about Epstein, says he never had the 'privilege' of island visit
The Epstein scandal has become quicksand for the president for a variety of reasons, including his own misguided rhetoric about the intensifying story. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
— Democracy Skies in Blueness - Resist (@democracyblue.bsky.social) 2025-07-29T13:06:27.296Z
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-epstein-says-never-privilege-island-visit-rcna221667
On Monday, the Republican sat alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and fielded a series of questions about the late millionaire sex offender, and each answer seemed to get progressively worse.
A possible pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell: Asked whether hes prepared to rule out a pardon for Epsteins convicted associate, common sense mightve suggested that the president close that door. He did largely the opposite, telling reporters, Well, Im allowed to give her a pardon, but nobodys approached me with it. Nobodys asked me about it.
He added, Right now, it would be inappropriate to talk about it, while talking about it......
His falling out with Epstein: The explanation surrounding Trumps relationship with Epstein has been a moving target, with some allegations that Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for being a real creep, while others have pointed to a falling out over a real estate deal. The president offered a third possibility on Monday, stating Epstein did something inappropriate by hiring people who worked for Trump.
The island invitation: As The New York Times summarized:
President Trump said on Monday that he had never had the privilege of visiting Jeffrey Epsteins private Caribbean island because he had turned down an invitation from the financier. As part of a continued effort by Mr. Trump to distract, deny and deflect from his long-running relationship with Mr. Epstein, the president vigorously denied that he had ever visited Mr. Epsteins private islands in the Caribbean, while in the same breath baselessly accusing his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton, of visiting the islands, his latest bid at conspiracy deflection.
I
never went to the island, and Bill Clinton went there supposedly a number of times, Trump said, referring to locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands where Epstein allegedly trafficked underage girls for sex.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3luzsvrp7ha2h
....There were a great many ways the Republican couldve talked about this without using the word
privilege, but this was the message the president chose to deliver to the world.