Donald Trump Inviting Sex Offender into White House Raises Eyebrows
President Donald Trump inviting former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, a registered sex offender, to the White House on Thursday has garnered controversy.
Why It Matters
Taylor has previously shared the stage with Trump at rallies. But her appearance at the White House on Thursday comes as Trump faces increasing pressure over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who authorities say committed suicide in a federal prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The president has come under heavy criticism for his administration’s refusal to release additional documents about Epstein, despite previous promises of transparency. He has tried to dodge questions about the case, expressing irritation at the continued discussion of it, even as some of his allies continue to promote conspiracy theories about it.
Trump told reporters this week that Epstein “stole” Virginia Giuffre, one of his most high-profile accusers, from his Mar-a-Lago club, where she worked in the summer of 2000, when she was 16. This raised questions, particularly from Giuffre’s family, about Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, given his ongoing ties to him after 2000. Trump said Thursday that he was unaware of why Epstein recruited young Mar-a-Lago employees, and that this prompted him to cut ties and expel Epstein from the club.
What To Know
Trump signed an executive order Thursday reinstating the Presidential Physical Fitness Test for American children and revitalizing the National Athletic Council.
Taylor and other sports figures, including professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, joined Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House to become official members of the council, known as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
Taylor was arrested in 2010 for rape and prostitution following the alleged assault of a 16-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty in 2011 to two counts of sexual misconduct and solicitation of prostitutes, received a six-year suspended sentence, and was placed on the sex offender registry.
He was arrested in 2021 in Broward County, Florida, and charged with failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender. He later pleaded not guilty to an amended charge, and the case was dismissed. He was arrested again in July 2024 and charged with failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender, but the prosecutor’s office dismissed the case a few weeks later.
Taylor’s presence at the White House sparked outrage on social media.
“Trump literally welcomed Lawrence Taylor, a convicted sex offender for the rape of a 16-year-old girl, to the White House while announcing the creation of the President’s Council on Children’s Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition,” tweeted social media personality Brian Krasenstein. Taylor called the move “disgusting”!
What People Are Saying
“I’m very proud to be a part of this team,” Taylor said at the executive order signing Thursday. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to do, but I’m here to serve you. So I’ll do my best for as long as I can.”
Trump said of Taylor Thursday: “I consider him the greatest defender in NFL history and a longtime friend. A very long time, right, Lawrence? Lawrence Taylor, he’s a great guy, and he’s been my longtime friend. I’ve known him for a long time.”
Asked Thursday why Epstein had kidnapped young women from the White House resort at Mar-a-Lago, Trump replied: “No, I don’t really know why, but I said if he had kidnapped anyone at Mar-a-Lago, whether he was hiring or doing anything else, I didn’t appreciate it. And we fired him.”
Julie Roginsky, a former Fox News and CNBC contributor and co-founder of the nonprofit Raise Our Voices, wrote on X: “Lawrence Taylor is a convicted sex offender who was arrested for sexually assaulting a young girl. Someone should ask the Make America Great Again campaign why Trump associates with so many child molesters.”
MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes wrote on X: “The day Virginia Giuffre’s family speaks out against the vile treatment of victims, this is who will be in the White House.”
Tara Settmeyer, former Republican communications director, wrote on X: “Trump loves to associate with arrested sex offenders with minors. Add Lawrence Taylor to the list.”
What’s Next
Trump should probably continue answering questions about the Epstein case.
