Former President Donald Trump stated that Jeffrey Epstein "stole" Virginia Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago and admitted that Epstein took staff members who worked for him. Trump claimed that for years he avoided contact with Epstein due to these actions. Epstein, who described himself as Trump's "closest friend" for a decade, was known to have socialized with Trump, including organizing a private "calendar girl competition" with models. Despite their association, Trump distanced himself from Epstein after learning about the alleged theft of his employees, a process that reportedly took seven years. Legal documents related to Epstein have undergone redactions to remove references to Trump, suggesting his involvement was more than that of an innocent bystander. Trump expressed concern that individuals not involved should not be unfairly harmed by the release of these files, indicating a focus on protecting his associates over victims. The unfolding legal and public scrutiny surrounding Epstein and Trump continues to deepen.