WSJ: Trump Banned Epstein From Mar-a-Lago After This
In 2003, Donald Trump banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago following an incident where a young spa employee accused Epstein of sexual misconduct during a house call. Despite prior warnings from staff about Epstein's behavior, the club's human resources did not report the incident to police at the time. After the ban, concerns about Epstein continued to circulate, with Trump's second wife having previously raised alarms about him. Although Trump claimed to have distanced himself from Epstein long before his crimes were publicly known, they crossed paths several times afterward. The White House defended Trump, emphasizing that he acted appropriately and faced no wrongdoing regarding Epstein.
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The report cites former employees stating that Mar-a-Lago had a practice of sending young women to Epstein's mansion for massages, and staff had warned each other about his inappropriate behavior.
The incident that prompted the ban involved a then-18-year-old beautician who claimed Epstein pressured her for sex, leading a manager to fax Trump with the allegation.
Trump's press secretary stated that the narrative being presented was an attempt to smear the President, maintaining he did nothing wrong.
Epstein was not a dues-paying member of Mar-a-Lago, but Trump had instructed staff to treat him like one and he maintained an account at the spa.
Although Epstein was banned in 2003, he and Trump interacted again in 2004 during a property competition, suggesting a continued association despite the ban.
Virginia Giuffre, a former employee who later accused Epstein of abuse, affirmed in her memoir that Trump was never involved in misconduct, describing him as friendly.
Epstein's legal troubles began in 2005 when law enforcement started investigating him after a parent accused him of abusing a minor, leading to his eventual arrests and conviction.