What are the Epstein files Musk accuses Trump of being mentioned in?

“Time to driblet nan really large bomb: Trump is successful nan Epstein files," Elon Musk posted connected nan societal media level X connected Thursday successful a move that could perchance sever his adjacent relationship pinch US President Donald Trump.

From cardinal state to nan US president to arch force almost overnight, Musk has fallen retired pinch Trump complete nan president's "Big Beautiful Bill".

Musk, who funded Trump's predetermination run and led nan arguable Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has conscionable precocious departed nan agency and nan Trump administration, arsenic he progressively publically criticised what he said was a "disgusting abomination" that will "burden American citizens pinch crushingly unsustainable debt.”

Following a bid of tweets connected nan matter, Musk went truthful acold arsenic to impeach Trump without providing grounds of being included successful nan infamous files — which Trump himself demanded beryllium released, arsenic they purportedly incorporate nan names of a number of high-profile governmental and business figures successful nan US and overseas linked to a intersexual exploitation strategy involving minors.

Trump, whose management promised to merchandise nan Epstein Files, has rejected Musk's allegations, telling reporters Musk had "lost his mind". There is nary grounds of his information successful forbidden activities pinch Jeffrey Epstein.

What are nan Epstein Files?

An influential US financier, Epstein came nether important nationalist scrutiny aft he was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls successful nan early 2000s, but coiled up serving conscionable 13 months successful jail.

He was indicted connected national charges successful New York successful 2019, much than a decade aft he secretly struck a woody pinch national prosecutors successful Florida to dispose of akin charges of activity trafficking.

The lawsuit has drawn wide attraction because of Epstein and his erstwhile woman Ghislaine Maxwell’s links to royals, presidents and billionaires. Maxwell herself is nan girl of nan precocious British media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who erstwhile owned nan New York Daily News.

Over nan years, thousands of pages of records person been released done lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal dockets, nationalist disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.

In January 2024, a tribunal unsealed nan last batch of a trove of documents that had been collected arsenic grounds successful a suit revenge by Epstein unfortunate Virginia Giuffre.

Much of nan material, including transcripts of unfortunate interviews and aged constabulary reports, had already been publically known.

They included mentions of Trump, erstwhile US President Bill Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and magician David Copperfield, arsenic good arsenic grounds from 1 unfortunate who said she met Michael Jackson astatine Epstein’s Florida home, but thing untoward happened pinch him.

The antecedently released files included a 2016 deposition successful which an accuser recounted spending respective hours pinch Epstein astatine Trump’s Atlantic City casino.

However, nan documents did not authorities whether she had really met Trump aliases accused him of immoderate wrongdoing.

How did Trump and Epstein cognize each other?

Trump and Epstein person been friends since nan precocious 1980s, erstwhile some men were portion of nan socialite circles successful New York. Over nan years, nan 2 person partied astatine Mar-a-Lago, a Palm Beach property that Trump purchased successful 1995, and attended a Victoria's Secret show together.

The US president has said successful nan past that he thought Epstein was a “terrific guy,” but that they later had a falling retired successful 2004, reportedly complete a botched existent property deal.

"He’s a batch of nosy to beryllium with. It is moreover said that he likes beautiful women arsenic overmuch arsenic I do, and galore of them are connected nan younger side," Trump told New York Magazine successful 2002.

Trump has since said he "wasn't a fan" of Epstein. According to media reports, since Epstein's intersexual exploitation ringing became public, Trump offered support and provided grounds against his once-friend.

Epstein did not clasp backmost since nan 2 fell out, either.

Trump biographer Michael Wolff past twelvemonth released tapes of interviews pinch Epstein, successful which he called nan US president “functionally illiterate” and a "horrible quality being".

The US president's squad has rejected allegations of immoderate relationship betwixt nan 2 successful caller years, stating Wolff — whose tapes showed Epstein knew immoderate specifications of nan soul workings of nan first Trump management betwixt 2017 and 2021 — was "a disgraced writer who routinely fabricates lies".

Musk has besides been connected to Epstein successful nan past. In 2019, US media outlet Buzzfeed News alleged Musk, together pinch Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Amazon proprietor Jeff Bezos, attended a meal pinch Epstein successful 2011, good aft nan allegations surrounding his engagement successful nan intersexual maltreatment of women and children became publically known.

Although he does not characteristic prominently successful immoderate of nan photos from nan "billionaires' dinner" organised by intelligence nine Edge successful Long Beach, Epstein tin beryllium seen successful nan inheritance of 1 of nan images, still disposable online.

In 2014, Musk was photographed pinch Epstein's partner Maxwell astatine nan Vanity Fair Oscars party. Musk responded to questions complete nan photograph, saying he did not cognize Maxwell and he was "photobombed".

Musk has besides antecedently called Epstein a "dumb crook".

Epstein died successful evident termination successful August 2019 while awaiting proceedings connected criminal charges astatine nan Metropolitan Correctional Center successful New York.

The US Justice Department’s Inspector General said that his termination was nan extremity consequence of “combination of negligence, misconduct and outright occupation capacity failures” by nan US Federal Bureau of Prisons and jailhouse workers.

The watchdog study recovered nary grounds of foul play.

Maxwell was sentenced successful 2022 to 20 years successful situation for activity trafficking related to her domiciled successful Epstein's maltreatment and exploitation scheme. She mislaid her entreaty successful September 2024.

While nan US president has faced aggregate intersexual battle accusations successful nan past, he has rejected each allegations arsenic portion of media bias aliases governmental smear campaigns.

In December 2024, a judgement was upheld against Trump for defamation and intersexual maltreatment of writer E Jean Carroll successful 1995 aliases 1996. The sentencing carried a punishment of $5 million (€4.4m).