Emails recently made public by the House Oversight Committee have revealed how Jeffrey Epstein, even after admitting to soliciting services from an underage prostitute in 2008, corresponded for years with executives, reporters, academics and political actors who turned to him for advice, The Guardian reports.
From members of the British royal family to informal White House advisers, from a Silicon Valley investor to a left-wing academic, connections and influence were the ultimate currency for Jeffrey Epstein.
The death of Epstein — who was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 and killed himself in prison a month later — has long been a magnet for conspiracy theories, but newly released documents reveal less a shadowy cabal than a web of power operating in plain sight, indifferent to reprehensible facts.
Epstein's laconic emails, riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes, sent between 2009 and 2019, contain no evidence of any involvement of his contacts — including Donald Trump — in criminal activity. But it shows some support from some insiders during the time Carwe has been dealing with legal issues, while others have tried to get input or advice on everything from dating to oil prices.
Their joking and frivolous tone suggests that Epstein probably still felt welcome in high society, from which he received no pressure to change his behavior. Far from being ostracized as a sex offender, his behavior was normalized.
Message exchange with Steve Bannon
Several messages from 2018 show he advised longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon on his political tour of Europe that year. Bannon sent Epstein a news video reporting that the German media is “underestimating” Bannon, whom he describes as “as dangerous as ever”
“I love it,” Epstein replied.
Epstein wrote that he had just spoken with “one of the leaders of the country we discussed” and that “we should come up with a strategic plan … what fun.”
A few months later, Epstein came up with a piece of advice: “If you're going to play here, you're going to have to put in the time, Europe doesn't work remotely.”
“It is doable but time consuming,” Epstein continued in a later email, “there are many country leaders we can arrange for you to have individual meetings with.” Bannon responded: “I agree 100%. How do I do that???”
Service condilier
When physicist Lawrence Krauss faced allegations of sexual harassment, he emailed Epstein for advice on how to handle a journalist's investigation. After inquiring whether Krauss had had sexual relations with the person in question, Epstein advised him not to answer the journalist.
Larry Summers, former treasury secretary under Bill Clinton and later president of Harvard University, discussed his interactions with a woman, and Epstein offered guidance, writing: “You reacted well…anger shows care…Not whining shows strength.”
In another email, Summers opined: “I'm trying to understand why American elites think that if you kill your child by beating and neglect, that should be irrelevant to your admission to Harvard, but dating a couple of women 10 years ago means you can't work in a network or think tank.
Summers was not the only Democrat in Epstein's circle. Kathryn Ruemmler, a former White House adviser during Barack Obama's tenure, sent him a message in which he characterized Trump as “so disgusting”. Part of the message was redacted, but Epstein replied: “worse in real life and up close.”
In other emails with it, Epstein listed a number of famous people he met, hosted or spoke with that week, including an ambassador, a tech giant, foreign businessmen, academics and a film director. “You are a welcome guest at any,” he wrote.
In one message, Ruemmler expressed her disdain for New Jerseyans as she planned a road trip to New York: “I think I'm going to drive. Then I'm going to …stop for gas at a New Jersey freeway, notice all the people there who are at least 150 pounds overweight, have a little panic attack as a result of the sighting, and then decide I'm not going to eat another bite for the rest of my life.” I'm afraid I'll end up like one of those people.”
The documents also cast doubt on former Prince Andrew's official account of his relationship with Epstein and his accusers. An email from March 2011 shows continued contact four months after Andrew publicly claimed he had ended the relationship. In a message to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell regarding the allegations, Andrew wrote: “I can't take this anymore.”
Another email appears to confirm the famous photo of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre that later brought him accusations. Epstein wrote: “Yes, she was on my plane and yes, she was photographed with Andrew, as were many of my staff.” This contrasts with the prince's public speculation in a 2019 interview that the photo could have been a fake,
Journalist Michael Wolff appears in numerous messages, often as an informal adviser to Epstein regarding his relationship with Trump. In 2015, Wolff advised Epstein to “let it go [pe Trump] to hang himself” if Trump had asked about their relationship during an appearance on CNN, suggesting that a denial from Trump would give Epstein “a valuable public relationship and political currency.”
Shortly before the 2016 election, Wolff wrote to Epstein: “There is an opportunity to go public this week and talk about Trump in a way that will get you a lot of sympathy and help finish him. Are you interested?”
The emails show that Epstein's role in his network went far beyond simple conversations. He was regarded as a trusted advisor, an intermediary whose judgment on matters of politics, scandal and personal life was actively sought by the most powerful people.
Information about Trump
He even tried to shape foreign policy. In the run-up to the 2018 bilateral meeting between Trump and Vladimir Putin, Epstein suggested that Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, turn to him to gain insight into the US president.
“I think you could suggest to Putin that Lavrov can get information by talking to me,” Epstein wrote to Thorbjørn Jagland, the former Norwegian prime minister who headed the Council of Europe at the time.
Epstein claimed he had previously discussed Trump with Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the UN, before Churkin's death in 2017. “Churkin was great,” Epstein wrote. “I understand Trump after our conversations. It's not complex. You have to meet to get something – it's that simple.”
In January 2010, biotech venture capitalist Boris Nikolic was attending the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, when he received an email from Epstein: “Are you having fun?” Nikolic replied that he had met with “your friend” Bill Clinton, as well as then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy and “your other friend”, Andrew, “because he has some questions about Microsoft”.
He later wrote to Epstein that “it would be wonderful to be here.” He also mentioned that he flirted with a 22-year-old woman. “Looks like she's with her husband. I didn't get a chance to see him. But like I said, every good thing is taken;)”.
In emails sent to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, a businessman from the United Arab Emirates, Epstein complimented Bannon in 2018: “We became friends, you're going to like him.”
“Trump doesn't like him,” Sulayem replied.
A year earlier, Sulayem had asked Epstein about an event Trump was to attend: “Do you think it will be possible for me to shake hands with Trump?”
“Call to discuss,” Epstein replied.
A long list of contacts
The contact list was long and varied. In 2011, Epstein asked publicist Peggy Siegal to contact media entrepreneur Arianna Huffington to “talk about the dangers of false accusations” and investigate accuser Virginia Giuffre. Siegal called the request “idiotic.”
In a 2015 email, Epstein offered Noam Chomsky, a linguist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and political activist, the option to use his residences in New York and New Mexico. Their messaging also covered topics such as the currency crash and behavioral science.
Artist Andres Serrano discussed the 2016 election with him, writing that he was so “disgusted by the outrage over Trump's 'Grap them by the pussy' statement that I might give him my sympathy vote.”
Epstein was also in contact with Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley investor and ally of JD Vance. Epstein emailed Thiel in 2014: “That was fun, see you in 3 weeks.” Four years later, Epstein asked Thiel if he liked Los Angeles, and after Thiel said he couldn't complain, offered him an invitation: “Dec, visit me in the Caribbean.” It is unclear whether Thiel responded.
Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said: “My guess is that this guy has made huge donations to colleges and universities, including Harvard and MIT, and those kinds of donations can buy you a lot of bargaining chip and access to various elite circles.”
“People will want to know to what extent all these different actors understood what was going on. The people he interacted with at MIT or Harvard may not have had the same level of awareness as Prince Andrew or Donald Trump, but they should all be asked to say what they know.”
