Last Updated:
Farmer initially reported Epstein and Maxwell to authorities in 1996 and mentioned Trump’s name due to a disturbing encounter she experienced in 1995 at Epstein’s Manhattan office.
US President Donald Trump (AP)
Maria Farmer, an artist and one of the first women to accuse Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell of sexual abuse, revealed to The New York Times that nearly thirty years ago, she urged the FBI to investigate Donald Trump.
Farmer initially reported Epstein and Maxwell to authorities in 1996 and mentioned Trump’s name due to a disturbing encounter she experienced in 1995 at Epstein’s Manhattan office.
“I have often wondered what law enforcement did with my complaints in 1996 and again in 2006,” Farmer told The Times. She reiterated Trump’s name in a 2006 FBI interview, referring to the 1995 incident.
According to Farmer, she was called to Epstein’s office late at night in 1995, dressed in running shorts. Trump, dressed in a suit, entered the room shortly after and stood over her, staring at her legs. Epstein then entered and told Trump, “No, no. She’s not here for you.” The two men left the room, and Farmer overheard Trump saying he thought she was 16 years old.
Although in her mid-20s at the time, Farmer found the encounter extremely unsettling but noted she never saw Trump act inappropriately towards other women.
No law enforcement agency has accused Trump of any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Trump has never been identified as a suspect in any Epstein-related investigation.
The White House swiftly responded to Farmer’s account. Communications director Steven Cheung told The Times, “The president was never in Epstein’s office. The fact is that the president expelled him from his club for being a creep.”
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt added, “The New York Times reporters are desperately recycling news stories to try to link President Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. These stories are tired and pathetic attempts to divert attention from the success of President Trump’s administration.”
Trump’s past connections to Epstein have been scrutinised, particularly by his supporters. In 2002, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy,” and old videos show them partying together. By 2019, Trump publicly declared he was “not a fan” of Epstein and claimed they hadn’t spoken in years.
Farmer’s account may explain why Trump’s name could appear in undisclosed Epstein-related files, which reportedly include names, tips, and evidence gathered during investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, and Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022.
Farmer’s interview followed shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent Epstein a sexually suggestive birthday greeting in 2003. Trump denied the report as false and filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the newspaper and its owners.
Trump has since tried to distance himself from Epstein, even calling for the release of grand jury testimony from Epstein’s prosecution, asserting he has “nothing to hide.”
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
view comments
- First Published: