Elon Musk, who openly declared war on US President Donald Trump, has accused the latter of being named in the 'Epstein files', the controversial documents related to the disgraced financier and sex offender who died in 2019 in a New York prison. The bombshell accusations came after the Musk-Trump relationship imploded on social media with the entrepreneur openly blasting the 'Big Beautiful Bill', Trump's sweeping domestic agenda bill.
The duo sparred on social media with Trump confirming that he was "disappointed" with Musk over his public opposition to the bill. Musk reacted by taking a jab at the President, stating he would have lost the race to the White House without him. But, the social media volleys escalated when Musk accused Trump of being named in 'Epstein files'.
Though the inclusion of a person’s name in files related to the case does not indicate they have been accused of any wrongdoing, it is a fact that Trump once enjoyed a close relationship with the disgraced financier.
Epstein, an accused of sex trafficking minors, died by suicide in his jail cell in 2019, two weeks after pleading not guilty to the charges. Though the Trump administration has consistently vowed to declassify the Epstein files, they have yet to do so.
Though Trump distanced himself from Epstein since his arrest on July 6, 2019, the duo were good friends from the late 1980s to early 2000s. A photograph had recently surfaced showing the duo speaking to each other at a party in Mar-a-Lago. They were also seen together at a Victoria’s Secret Angels party.
Trump, in his usual boisterous style, had praised Epstein in a 2002 interview with New York magazine, calling him a "terrific guy" who he had known for over 15 years. "He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it—Jeffrey enjoys his social life," Trump said about the sex offender.
There were reports that Trump and Epstein were so close they "were each other’s wingmen" around the same time.
Though Trump had denied it, flight logs released in 2021 as part of the trial of Epstein's accomplice and girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell indicated that the US President flew on Epstein’s plane seven times. "I was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his stupid Island," Trump claimed in a 2024 Truth Social post.
However, the relationship soured in 2004 over a real estate feud, according to reports. Both Trump and Epstein wanted a Palm Beach property, Maison de L’Amitié, for themselves. A bidding war ensued which resulted in the end of the friendship.
Then on, Trump turned on his once-close friend, even offering to talk to attorneys who represented Epstein's victim. In fact, Trump was reportedly the only one who expressed willingness to do so. According to Bradley Edwards, an attorney, there was no indication that Trump was involved in anything untoward with regard to Epstein.
Trump later told an interview after Epstein's arrest that " the financier was not a person he respected and "threw him out".
"I had a falling out with him a long time ago. I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years. I wasn’t a fan… That I can tell you. I was not a fan of his," Trump told an interview.
However, Epstein is said to have maintained that he was Trump's "closest friend" for over a decade and the two had gone to try to "find girls in the casino". Epstein also called Trump a horrible human being who does nasty things to his friends, according to reports quoting the tape recordings of Epstein's conversations with author Michael Wolff as part of his research for his 2018 bestselling book 'Fire and Fury'.
