President Donald Trump was asked on Thursday if he knew why Jeffrey Epstein “stole” young workers from Mar-a-Lago, including the late Virginia Giuffre.
What To Know
The reporter asked, “The family of Virginia Giuffre released a statement overnight in response to some of the comments that you made this week. You said that Jeffrey Epstein ‘stole’ people from Mar-a-Lago. At the time, did you know why he was taking those young women, including Virginia?”
Trump responded, in part, “No, I didn’t know. I figured it would be ABC fake news that would ask that question. One of the worst. But no, I don’t know really why. “
“But I said if he’s taking anybody from Mar-a-Lago, if he’s hiring or whatever he’s doing, I didn’t like it and we threw him out, we said we don’t want him at the place … I didn’t like it that he was doing that.”
Earlier this week, Trump was asked on board Air Force One whether one of the workers “stolen” from Mar-a-Lago was Giuffre. Trump responded, “I don’t know. I think she worked at the spa. I think so, I think that was one of the people, yep. He stole her, and by the way she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever.”
Giuffre’s family reacted to Trump’s comment on Wednesday, calling his remarks “shocking.”
“It was shocking to hear President Trump invoke our sister and say that he was aware that Virginia had been ‘stolen’ from Mar-a-Lago,” the family said in the statement.
“We would like to clarify that it was convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell who targeted and preyed upon our then 16-year-old sister, Virginia, from Mar-a-Lago, where she was working in 2000, several years before Epstein and President Trump had their falling out,” Giuffre’s family said.
“The government and the President should never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency,” the family added.
REPORTER: Do you know why Epstein was taking those young women, including Virginia Giuffre?
TRUMP: No, I didn’t know. I figured it would be ABC fake news that would ask that question. One of the worst. But no I don’t know really why. pic.twitter.com/7RO0briM18
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 31, 2025
Where Is Epstein Island?
Sex offender and disgraced financier Epstein owned an island in the U.S. Virgin Islands called Little Saint James, off the coast of St. Thomas.
According to CBS News, Epstein also owned Great Saint James Island.
Who Was Virginia Giuffre?
Giuffre was a prominent accuser of Epstein and Maxwell’s, and founder of the victims’ rights nonprofit organization Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR).
Giuffre sued both Maxwell and Prince Andrew, which ultimately resulted in a settlement in both instances, the Associated Press reports. Giuffre died by suicide in April 2025 in Australia.
How Did Jeffrey Epstein Make His Money?
Epstein managed the money of many wealthy people, including Les Wexner, founder and CEO of L Brands, CBS News reports.
The Economic Times also reports Epstein founded a financial management firm called J. Epstein & Company in the 1980s.
Associated Press
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Update 7/31/25, 6:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
