Newly released emails have unveiled a series of interactions between Jeffrey Epstein and his associates that reveal his observations and insights regarding former President Donald Trump. All these communications best showcase Epstein’s incredible sensitivity to Trump’s actions between 2012 and 2018. They paint a picture of Epstein’s critical views of the former president’s mental health.
On December 2, 2017, Epstein received a notification reading, “Trump is in our community today. Yet this is stark evidence that someone owned by direct personal interest in Trump’s day-to-day activities. This was not an isolated incident. Epstein’s pilot, Larry Visoski, frequently updated him on Trump’s travel plans. On September 30, 2017, with Epstein on St. Thomas following Hurricane Maria, Visoski informed him that Trump would be coming in soon. He was due to touch down that following Tuesday.
In a separate email from December 2016, Visoski wrote that “Trump is in town that week.” This remark highlighted Epstein’s immediate imperative to monitor the ex-commander-in-chief’s every move. This dynamic persisted as Visoski offered personal updates on Trump’s location and expected time of arrival. For the second day of the Summit, he always joked Trump runs late. So in reality, he proposed a more reasonable arrival time of about 11 PM at Palm Beach International Airport.
Behind his genial demeanor, Epstein’s comments about Trump frequently betrayed a bitter animosity. In December 2018, he reportedly told former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers that “Trump – borderline insane.” Such a statement would further highlight Epstein’s fears over Trump’s mental fitness, a fear he expressed in various other emails. He expressed a sense of urgency in sharing his thoughts, stating, “He feels alone, and is nuts !!! I told everyone from day one.”
Perhaps most importantly, the emails provide an example of Epstein’s deep political connections outside of Trump. In September 2012, an assistant informed Epstein that then-Vice President Joe Biden was scheduled to depart from West Palm Beach between 5 PM and 6 PM. Those kinds of communications suggest Epstein’s far reaching interest in establishing connections with high-profile individuals and tracking their movements.
On day one, we took a joyous ride on the New York subway. He forwarded Epstein a Politico article predicting a “psychiatric breakdown” for Trump. This email exchange is indicative of the media and public’s persistent anxiety over Trump’s mental fitness throughout his presidency. Epstein’s accountant, Richard Kahn, shared insights with him about Trump’s travel plans, including a mention that Trump was “in our neighborhood today” while attending a fundraiser.
One notable exchange occurred when Visoski wrote to Epstein about Trump’s schedule: “Updated President Elect schedule: Trump Plane to arrive Orlando at 5 pm Friday for event, then arrive Palm Beach estimate 10 pm.” This kind of tracking even further illustrates the degree of cooperation and vigilance that has developed in response to Trump’s movements.
Epstein’s remarks on Trump often drifted from the personal observation into the societal shaming. He remarked on the pressures Trump faced: “This is not a new phenomenon for him. In the past he was told not to come out of his apt. that’s how he got through near personal bankruptcy.” This observation suggests that Epstein viewed Trump as a man under siege and in a fishbowl.
Epstein’s conversations with Trump reveal a cocktail of alarm and opportunism. He noted that many people underestimated the seriousness of Trump’s mental state, illustrating his belief that Trump’s behavior could lead to significant consequences: “Most thought I was speaking metaphorically; it’s obvious he could crack.”
Epstein’s friendship with Trump has come under scrutiny over the years, particularly given the nature of Epstein’s criminal activities and the high-profile individuals he interacted with. The newly uncovered emails provide additional context to this close, but often complicated relationship. Most importantly, they demonstrate the way that Epstein viewed and recorded Trump throughout those formative years leading up to and during his presidency.