The U.S. Justice Department's release of millions of pages of internal records tied to Jeffrey Epstein has made public the late financier's connections with numerous well-known people in politics, finance, academia and business. The materials span encounters that occurred both before and after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to prostitution-related charges that included soliciting an underage girl, and extend into the period prior to his 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019; his death was ruled a suicide.
Officials at the Justice Department have warned that the trove may contain fabricated images, unverified allegations and pornographic material. On Monday, the Department said it had removed several thousand documents that inadvertently identified some of Epstein's victims. Todd Blanche, the Justice Department's No. 2 official, has stated that the released material does not amount to evidence of criminal sexual activity by those named in the files.
The documents include photographs, emails, guest lists and other material that show social contact, travel and communications between Epstein and a range of public figures. Below are descriptions, drawn directly from the released files and accompanying legal documents, of some of the prominent people whose connections to Epstein are reflected in the material.
Donald Trump
Records show that Donald Trump socialized with Epstein frequently in the 1990s and 2000s. A magazine profile from that era quoted Trump as saying Epstein liked women "on the younger side." Justice Department files contain photographs of Trump with several women whose faces are redacted. The records also include a suggestive note to Epstein, presented amid the outline of a naked woman, which appears to carry Trump’s signature. Evidence and testimony introduced at the 2021 trial of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell indicate Trump traveled on Epstein's plane on multiple occasions. In one email, Epstein wrote that Trump "knew about the girls," though the context and meaning of that remark are not clear from the files. Trump has denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes, said he broke off ties in the early 2000s before Epstein's 2008 plea deal, denied ever flying on Epstein's plane and characterized the suggestive note as fabricated.
Bill Clinton
The documents show former President Bill Clinton socializing with Epstein and flying on his plane multiple times in the early 2000s, after Clinton left the White House. Photographs released by the Department depict Clinton in and around a swimming pool and posing with women whose faces are redacted. Clinton has denied any wrongdoing and said he regrets his past association with Epstein.
Andrew, Duke of York
The files document a social relationship between Epstein and Prince Andrew, the former Duke of York. That association led to the loss of the Duke's royal title. The Justice Department sought Prince Andrew's cooperation in multiple criminal investigations, but reports indicate he did not provide the assistance sought. He also reached a settlement in 2022 with a woman who had sued him in relation to Epstein, making an undisclosed payment while denying wrongdoing. The Justice Department's materials include multiple images of the Duke with women - one shows him kneeling over a woman and another shows him lying across the laps of several women. He has denied any criminal conduct and said he never saw sex crimes.
Howard Lutnick
Documents indicate that Howard Lutnick, the former chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald who later served in a Commerce Department post, had interactions with Epstein after a 2005 incident in which Epstein reportedly showed him a massage table at his townhouse and made a sexually suggestive comment. The files show Lutnick allegedly visited Epstein's private island for lunch in 2012 and invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Hillary Clinton; those items would appear to contradict Lutnick's stated claim that he vowed never to "be in a room" with Epstein following the 2005 incident. A Commerce Department spokesperson said Lutnick had limited interactions with Epstein and has never been accused of wrongdoing.
Elon Musk
The released records include an exchange in 2012 in which Elon Musk asked Epstein if he had any island parties planned, and Epstein responded that "the ratio on my island" might make Musk's female companion uncomfortable. Musk later invited Epstein to visit him for drinks on another island a few days later, though the material does not make clear whether they met then. Musk has stated he had few interactions with Epstein and that he declined repeated invitations to visit Epstein's island or to fly on his plane.
Larry Summers
Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary and former president of Harvard University, is shown in the files to have flown on Epstein's jet several times beginning as early as 1998, and to have met with him while Summers was president of Harvard to discuss economic and business matters. Email communications extend into 2019, when Summers sought Epstein's advice about a romantic interest. No evidence of criminal conduct by Summers has emerged in the released material; however, following the publication of those documents he stepped down from roles at Harvard, OpenAI and other organizations in November. Summers said at the time he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions and would step back from public commitments to repair relationships.
Kevin Warsh
Kevin Warsh, President George W. Bush's nominee to the Federal Reserve Board, appears in an email from a publicist to Epstein that listed 43 people headed to a 2010 Christmas gathering, among them celebrities like Martha Stewart. The record does not establish whether Warsh knew Epstein or why Epstein was sent the note. The documents do not include a response from Warsh within the released material.
Melania Trump
The files include a 2002 email from Melania Trump to Ghislaine Maxwell about a magazine piece on Epstein in which she wrote, "You look great."
Bill Gates
Records indicate that Bill Gates met repeatedly with Epstein after Epstein's 2008 prison term concluded, with meetings focused on expanding Gates's philanthropic efforts. The files also include photographs of Gates posed with women whose faces are redacted. Gates has said those meetings were confined to philanthropy-related discussions and that it was a mistake to meet with Epstein.
Jes Staley
Former banking executive Jes Staley is listed among attendees at Epstein-hosted gatherings. Court documents show Staley exchanged roughly 1,200 emails with Epstein between 2008 and 2012, including messages that referenced Disney characters and photographs of young women. Staley has denied knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity. He has faced penalties in the U.K. financial industry and has been the subject of a lawsuit from JPMorgan, which alleges he concealed information about Epstein's misconduct.
Peter Mandelson
The Justice Department files refer to Peter Mandelson more than 5,000 times. U.K. authorities said they were reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving Mandelson after his name surfaced in the documents. Last year he was relieved of a diplomatic posting to the United States after emails appeared showing him calling Epstein "my best pal" and advising Epstein on seeking an early release from jail. Mandelson has apologized to Epstein's victims and has denied wrongdoing.
Peter Attia
Wellness influencer Peter Attia's name appears over 1,700 times in the released records. Attia said on social media that he met with Epstein seven or eight times at Epstein's New York City home between 2014 and 2019, and that he never witnessed illegal activity nor saw Epstein accompanied by anyone who appeared to be underage.
Justice Department officials have repeatedly noted limitations of the material in the same way the files themselves illustrate the varied nature of relationships with Epstein - friendships, professional contacts, social interactions and invitations to gatherings - rather than criminal conspiracies. The Department's removal of documents that revealed victim identities also highlights privacy and legal sensitivities embedded in a mass disclosure of investigative material.
The public release has generated renewed examination of how private associations intersect with public roles and reputations across sectors. The records show that Epstein's circle encompassed political leaders, corporate executives, academic figures and public personalities, with interactions ranging from emails and shared travel to photographed social occasions. In several cases, those named have denied wrongdoing, asserted limited or benign contacts, or characterized particular items in the files as inaccurate or fabricated.
With federal prosecutors and law enforcement having previously documented Epstein's criminal history and with additional legal proceedings involving associates like Ghislaine Maxwell, the substantial release of internal documents contributes new raw material to the public record. At the same time, Justice Department officials emphasize that inclusion of a name in the files should not be read as proof of criminal conduct.
As reviewers continue to sift through the released pages, the material is likely to remain a focal point for scrutiny of personal associations among those in positions of power and influence - and for questions about how institutions respond when prominent figures are linked, in varying degrees, to individuals accused of serious crimes.