The defense
“He banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.”
CorroboratedWhat the record shows
This claim is disputed. No contemporaneous documentation of a ban has ever been produced publicly, and it emerged as a talking point only after Epstein's 2008 conviction — years after the supposed ban. What is documented: Trump flew on Epstein's jet at least 8 times, publicly praised him in 2002 calling him a 'terrific guy' with a taste for women 'on the younger side,' received a birthday note from him in 2003, and Virginia Giuffre testified she was recruited from Mar-a-Lago into Epstein's trafficking ring. Even if a ban occurred, it followed years of documented friendship.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Other common defenses
- “He was never charged with anything.”
- “The allegations are unverified — just accusations.”
- “He cooperated with investigators.”
- “The DOJ said the claims against Trump are false.”
- “Democrats are just using this to attack him.”
- “The Carroll case was thrown out / is still being appealed.”
- “Why didn't Carroll report it at the time?”
- “Where can I read the Epstein files?”
- “The Epstein files didn't prove anything about Trump.”
- “A jury didn't specifically find him guilty of rape.”