Is Donald Trump really named in the Epstein Files? Here's what we know

Elon Musk Thursday levelled a massive allegation against President Donald Trump that he is named in Epstein Files and that's why the administration is not releasing the list. This came out as a public mud-slinging race that Elon Musk and Donald Trump started as all the pretenses wore off, and the two started attacking each other.

What are the Epstein Files? Is Donald Trump really named on it?

Epstein files refer to various documents, primarily court filings, related to Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender who died in 2019. These documents, often from Virginia Giuffre’s 2015 defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate, include flight logs, witness testimonies, contact lists, and other evidence tied to Epstein’s activities. They name numerous high-profile individuals who were associated with Epstein socially, professionally, or otherwise.

Just being named in these documents does not inherently indicate wrongdoing, as many met Epstein casually on social occasions. The documents have been released in phases, with significant batches unsealed in January 2024 and February 2025 by the US Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Trump flew on Epstein's Lolita Express

It is not unknown that Donald Trump’s name appears in these documents, specifically in flight logs from Epstein’s private jet, known as the “Lolita Express.”

Trump is recorded as having flown on the jet seven times between 1993 and 1997, with flights primarily between Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City. Some of these flights included his then-wife Marla Maples, their daughter Tiffany, and a nanny, and Jeffrey Epstein himself is listed as a passenger on at least some of these trips.

A testimony from Johanna Sjoberg, an Epstein accuser, mentions a 2001 incident where Epstein’s plane was diverted to Atlantic City, and Epstein suggested visiting one of Trump’s casinos.

Trump’s name also appears in Epstein’s contact list alongside other prominent figures like Ivana Trump and Mick Jagger.

Elon Musk's 'big bomb' hints at something different

Trump even called Epstein a 'terrific' guy in a 2002 interview but distanced himself from him after the allegations against Epstein surfaced. What Musk hints at in his 'big bomb' allegations is something different, not just casual or social association, though Musk did not provide any insight into his claim.

He hints that more truths about Epstein and Trump's associations are in the unreleased files. Trump acknowledged that he had a falling out with Epstein around 2004 over a real estate dispute and that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. No “client list” confirming direct involvement in Epstein’s crimes has been substantiated, despite speculation about such a list existing.