Jeffrey Epstein Claimed Donald Trump’s Friends ‘Were Concerned About Dementia’ After 2017 Dinner, Emails Show
In an email to Trump biographer Michael Wolff, the late sex offender wrote that the president "did not recognize old friends"
Nearly a decade ago, Jeffrey Epstein claimed that some people were worried about whether Donald Trump was suffering from dementia because he was reportedly unable to recognize old friends.
Epstein shared his concerns in an email to Trump biographer and journalist Michael Wolff on December 29, 2017. This email was released by the Justice Department, along with millions of other documents from investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender.
In the email to the author of “The Landslide,” sent during Trump’s first term, Epstein wrote: “Some people who had dinner with Donald last night were worried about whether he has dementia. He’s wearing a lot of makeup. He didn’t recognize any old friends.”
Epstein was not the first person to speculate about possible signs of dementia in the then 79-year-old president.
Before leaving his post as chief strategist at the White House in August 2017, Steve Bannon, a former close aide to Trump, reportedly claimed that the president was suffering from early-stage dementia, according to the book “The Clock” by Ira Rosen, former producer of the program “60 Minutes.”
According to Rosen, Bannon claimed that Donald “had trouble concentrating, didn’t read, and didn’t listen anymore. He said that Donald repeated himself a lot and told the same story minutes after he had already told it,” an allegation the former strategist later denied.
The producer also claims in his book that “Bannon tried to rally support for Trump’s impeachment proceedings” because of his concerns.
A member of Donald’s family also expressed concern about his mental health and behavior, mentioning the family’s often-unspoken history of dementia.
In a 2014 interview with PEOPLE magazine, before Donald Trump’s second term began, Fred C. Donald Trump III said his uncle’s recent behavior reminded him of other Trump family members who had experienced cognitive decline, including the president’s sister and father, both now deceased. At the time, the Trump campaign called the interview “pure fabrication and fake news.”
“Like everyone else, I’ve seen his decline,” Fred told PEOPLE. “But I see it as similar to my grandfather’s. If anyone thinks dementia isn’t hereditary in the Trump family, they’re simply mistaken.”
Regarding Donald’s relationship with Epstein, the president reportedly befriended the late sex offender in the 1990s and early 2000s. He later claimed to have severed all ties with the financier and to be unaware of his crimes. He also denied any wrongdoing during their past friendship.
In a 2002 interview with New York magazine, Donald Trump called Epstein a “great guy.” Epstein died, apparently by suicide, while awaiting trial, a month after his arrest and indictment on sex trafficking charges in July 2019.
Donald said of Epstein at the time: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. He’s a great guy. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with him. I hear he even likes beautiful women, like me, and a lot of them are young. Jeffrey certainly enjoys the social life.”
Donald’s name also appeared in Epstein-related documents that were declassified in recent months.
Among the photos released last December by the House Oversight Committee, which are part of Epstein’s estate, is a picture of Donald surrounded by women whose faces are blurred. Another photo, also released at the time, shows a caricature of the president’s face on a label for “Trump” condoms.
Following the release of these photos, White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson told PEOPLE magazine: “Once again, House Democrats are releasing carefully selected and randomly edited photos to create a fabricated narrative.”
She added: “The Democrats’ hoax against President Trump has been debunked time and again. The Trump administration has done far more for Epstein’s victims than the Democrats, repeatedly demanding transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents, and calling for thorough investigations into Epstein’s Democratic friends.”
She continued: “It’s time for the media to stop parroting the Democrats’ claims and start asking them why they wanted to stay by Epstein’s side after his conviction.”
