White House pushes back on Epstein questions

Washington, Feb 11 : The White House pushed back on renewed questions about President Donald Trump’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and said the administration stands firmly behind Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had long distanced himself from Epstein.

“The president has always remained consistent and that he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club at Mar-a-Lago because, frankly, Jeffrey Epstein was a creep,” she said.

She added that Trump “cut off his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and was honest and transparent about that for years and years.”

Leavitt was asked about newly released documents that referenced a conversation between Trump and the Palm Beach police chief in the early 2000s.

“Look, it was a phone call that may or may not have happened in 2006. I don't know the answer to that question,” she said. “What I'm telling you is that what President Trump has always said is that he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club because Jeffrey Epstein was a creep, and that remains true.”

Leavitt also pointed to the release of records related to the case.

“The release of more than 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his heinous, disgusting crimes just shows the level of transparency that this president and administration has committed to in bringing these files to light,” she said.

Asked whether Trump would rule out a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Leavitt said it was not under consideration.

“Last time we did speak about it, he said it's not something he's considering or thinking about,” she said.

Leavitt was also questioned about Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after he testified on Capitol Hill and acknowledged past contact with Epstein.

“No. Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of President Trump's team, and the president fully supports the secretary,” she said.

Leavitt shifted to what she described as broader achievements by the administration.

“Again, on Friday, the Dow shattered 50,000 for the first time ever,” she said. She also cited a federal appeals court ruling upholding the administration’s detention policy for migrants and said, “for an unprecedented ninth straight month, there were zero illegal border crossings at the southern border.”

Epstein, a financier, was charged with sex trafficking offenses and died in federal custody in 2019. Maxwell was later convicted on federal sex trafficking-related charges. The case has continued to generate political scrutiny due to the prominent figures who had past associations with Epstein.

The administration has argued that the release of documents reflects a commitment to transparency, while critics continue to press for clarity about past contacts and decisions involving individuals named in the files.