



How the Epstein files frustrated Trump’s White House
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. When the Justice Department released its last trove of millions of files about Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump found himself in the same place he had spent a year trying to avoid—dealing with the fallout, again. The files showed his own commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, had visited with Epstein long after Lutnick said they had cut ties.
Lutnick had to publicly explain his past statements, provoking a direct conversation with Trump, according to administration officials familiar with the matter. Trump questioned why he previously denied connections to Epstein when he knew he had visited Epstein’s island, the officials said. Since last February, the administration has tried to move on from questions about an issue that has animated Trump supporters like few others, even as it has continued to metastasize.
Trump officials initially opposed the release of the files from the investigation into the convicted sex offender and then fumbled their response, telling allies there was little new information to glean from the documents. The disclosures from the latest release, ordered by Congress, have instead forced prominent lawyers and business leaders to step aside, and prompted new criminal inquiries in three other countries. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are testifying before Congress next week, after the released files included photos of Clinton visiting with Epstein, too.
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