A recently released batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents has drawn renewed attention to US President Donald Trump, including details about flights he took on Epstein’s private jet during the 1990s.

According to an email from a New York federal prosecutor dated January 7, 2020, flight records indicate that Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times. On four of those trips, Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also on board. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for assisting Epstein in the sexual abuse of underage girls.

The email also noted that on two other flights, women who could serve as potential witnesses in Maxwell’s case were passengers. On one journey, the only people aboard were Trump, Epstein, and a 20-year-old woman whose identity is redacted.

In 2024, Trump took to social media to deny ever being on Epstein’s plane or visiting his private island. The prosecutor’s email did not allege any criminal conduct by Trump. Reuters reported that the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Department of Justice released a statement on Tuesday emphasizing that some claims in the documents were “untrue and sensationalist,” submitted after the 2020 presidential election. “To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,” the DOJ said in a social media post.

Redactions and Controversy

Many names and details in the newly released files are heavily redacted. Some redactions appear to obscure the identities of prosecutors and government officials, raising concerns that the agency may be exceeding the exemptions allowed under the law, which permits limited blackouts to protect victims.

Some materials also include videos purportedly showing the interior of a federal detention facility where Epstein died in 2019. His death was ruled a suicide, but questions about the circumstances continue to circulate.

Public Reaction and Political Debate

Trump has downplayed the significance of the files, claiming on Monday that they are being used by political rivals to “deflect against tremendous success” during his administration.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 52 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, while 23 percent approve. Around 70 percent of respondents believe the government is withholding information about Epstein’s relationships with powerful associates who may have participated in sex trafficking.

Democratic lawmakers, along with some Republicans, are pressing for additional documents to be released. Meanwhile, Trump’s conservative base remains divided over the issue. Republican Representative Thomas Massie accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of “working fervently to redact, omit, and delete Epstein files she is legally required to release under our bill.”