Newly released federal records connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation have revived scrutiny around former U.S. President Donald Trump’s past statements regarding his awareness of Epstein’s misconduct. According to a 2019 FBI interview summary made public in the latest tranche of Epstein-related documents, a former Palm Beach police chief stated that Trump contacted him in 2006 and suggested that Epstein’s behavior was widely known.
The document, now part of a broader disclosure mandated under a bipartisan transparency law, records an interview with Michael Reiter, the former Chief of Police in Palm Beach, Florida. Reiter told federal investigators that shortly after Epstein’s first sex crime charges became public in July 2006, Trump called him to express support for the investigation.
If accurate, the account could appear to contrast with Trump’s repeated public assertions over the years that he had no prior knowledge of Epstein’s alleged criminal conduct.
The release of these materials has also brought renewed attention to other senior officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose past association with Epstein surfaced in the same batch of documents.
FBI Interview Summary Describes Alleged 2006 Conversation
According to the FBI synopsis dated 2019, Trump allegedly reached out to the Palm Beach Police Department in July 2006, soon after news broke that Epstein was facing serious sex crime allegations involving minors.
Reiter stated during the interview that Trump expressed approval of the investigation and support for law enforcement efforts. The former police chief recalled Trump saying, “Thank goodness you’re stopping him. Everyone has known he’s been doing this.”
The interview summary further notes that Trump allegedly described Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, in highly critical terms and warned that many individuals in New York social circles were aware of Epstein’s conduct.
According to the FBI document, Trump also claimed he had previously encountered Epstein in settings where minors were present and said he chose to distance himself immediately, stating he “got the hell out of there.”
The Miami Herald was the first media outlet to report on the existence of the FBI interview summary. Reiter later confirmed his account publicly. However, the U.S. Department of Justice clarified that investigators have not found independent corroborating evidence confirming that such a phone call definitively took place.
As reported by Reuters, a government statement noted: “We are not aware of any corroborating evidence that the president contacted law enforcement 20 years ago.”
White House Response and Trump’s Past Statements
Donald Trump has consistently acknowledged that he once knew Jeffrey Epstein socially. However, he has repeatedly stated that their relationship ended years before Epstein’s first arrest and has firmly denied having any knowledge of criminal wrongdoing.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the issue, emphasizing that Trump has been open about severing ties with Epstein.
“The president has been honest and transparent about cutting off his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein well before his legal troubles escalated,” Leavitt told reporters.
When pressed specifically about the alleged 2006 phone call referenced in the FBI summary, she responded: “It was a phone call that may or may not have happened in 2006. I don’t know the answer to that question.”
The administration maintains that there is no verified evidence demonstrating that Trump had foreknowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities beyond what was publicly reported at the time.
Howard Lutnick’s Reported Visit to Epstein’s Island Draws Attention
The document release has also placed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick under renewed examination. Emails referenced in Justice Department records suggest Lutnick may have visited Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012.
This alleged visit would have occurred years after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal in Florida and at a time when Epstein’s past conviction was publicly known.
During a recent Senate hearing, Lutnick sought to downplay his association with Epstein, stating that his interactions were limited and did not involve misconduct.
“I know, and my wife knows, that I have done absolutely nothing wrong in any possible regard,” Lutnick told senators during testimony.
Lawmakers have not presented evidence accusing Lutnick of criminal behavior, but the disclosures have intensified political debate regarding associations with Epstein following his conviction.
Background: Epstein’s Arrest, Death, and Ongoing Transparency Efforts
Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges involving minors. While awaiting trial at a federal detention facility in New York, he was found dead in his cell. Authorities ruled the death a suicide, though the circumstances have fueled persistent public speculation and conspiracy theories.
The ongoing release of investigative documents has been part of broader transparency efforts intended to shed light on Epstein’s network of contacts and the handling of earlier investigations.
As additional records continue to emerge, political and legal observers stress the importance of separating documented evidence from unverified claims. The newly released FBI interview summary provides insight into what one former law enforcement official reported, but federal authorities have emphasized that no independent corroboration of the alleged 2006 call has been established.
The matter remains politically sensitive, particularly as it intersects with issues of accountability, public trust, and the historical associations of high-profile individuals linked—directly or indirectly—to Epstein.
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