Trump Recalls What Made Him Boot Epstein From Mar-A-Lago: ‘Persona Non Grata’
President Donald Trump directly addressed his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein on Monday, recalling the exact moment he banned the disgraced sex offender from Mar-a-Lago.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, Trump was asked about his fallout with Epstein — a figure whose ties to the global elite have remained a source of intense public scrutiny. Trump initially dismissed the question as “such old history,” but then chose to give a detailed answer.
President Trump: “I threw Epstein out. Persona non grata. And that was it. I’m glad I did. And by the way, I never went to the island. And Bill Clinton went there supposedly 28 times.” pic.twitter.com/K9zMlQOLik
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) July 28, 2025
“For years, I wouldn’t talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn’t talk, because he did something that was inappropriate,” Trump said. “He hired help. And I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people that worked for me.”
Trump then recounted what happened next: “He did it again. And I threw him out of the place, persona non grata. I threw him out, and that was it. I’m glad I did, if you want to know the truth.”
The story of Epstein’s ejection from Mar-a-Lago has long circulated, but this was one of Trump’s most direct public statements on the incident. The president has consistently denied any deeper connection to Epstein beyond casual social encounters.
During the press conference, Trump also addressed speculation about whether he had ever visited Epstein’s private island, which became a focal point of the Epstein scandal involving underage trafficking and abuse. Trump was emphatic: “I never went to the island.”
He then pointed to others with deeper ties to Epstein, most notably former President Bill Clinton.
“Bill Clinton went there, supposedly, 28 times,” Trump said. “Larry Summers, I hear, went there, he was the head of Harvard. And many other people that were very big people — nobody ever talks about them.”
Trump made clear that he declined invitations to Epstein’s island, adding, “In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn’t want to go to his island.”
The president’s remarks come amid renewed interest in Epstein’s connections to powerful figures in politics, academia, and finance. The Trump administration’s Justice Department — now under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi — has recently faced questions over new files related to Epstein’s network. The White House has been careful to distinguish Trump from the many high-profile individuals with longstanding ties to Epstein.
By recounting the episode at Mar-a-Lago, Trump aimed to reinforce the message that he cut off Epstein when others in elite circles continued to associate with him.
“I threw him out. That was the end of it,” Trump said.