Epstein alleged Trump ‘knew about the girls’ in emails released by Democrats

Democrats released emails on Wednesday in which Jeffrey Epstein suggested Donald Trump was aware of the disgraced financier’s sexual abuse and had “spent hours” with one of his victims at his house.

Trump has denied any knowledge of the sex-trafficking activities of his former friend, who died by suicide in 2019 as he was in prison awaiting trial, and the White House accused Democrats of pushing a “fake narrative” by sharing the mails.

But Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said the messages “raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes”.

The furore around the disgraced financier is still roiling Trump’s administration four months after his Justice Department effectively closed the case, announcing there was no more information to share.

Democrats in the House – keen to capitalise on the simmering controversy – have been trying to force a vote that would compel publication of the full Epstein case files.

The newly released emails were written to long-time associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking after Epstein’s death, and the author Michael Wolff.