Trump on why powerful people got close to Epstein: 'He was a good salesman'

Former President Trump in a new interview said he would have "no problem" releasing more files around Jeffrey Epstein if he is elected.

Trump sat down with podcast host Lex Fridman, who asked the former president why "so many smart, powerful people" allowed Epstein to get close.

"He was a good salesman. He was a hailing, hearty type of guy," Trump said. "He had some nice assets that he’d throw around like islands, but a lot of big people went to that island. But fortunately, I was not one of them."

Trump called it "very interesting" that the list of Epstein's associates has been kept under wraps, but he signaled he might revisit the issue if he wins in November.

"I’d certainly take a look at it. Now, Kennedy’s interesting because it’s so many years ago. They do that for danger too, because it endangers certain people ... so Kennedy is very different from the Epstein thing," Trump said. "But I’d be inclined to do the Epstein. I’d have no problem with it."

Epstein died in 2019. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to separate sexual misconduct charges and was arrested again in 2019 over allegedly leading a sex trafficking operation involving underage girls from 2002 to 2005. 

A court in January unsealed documents that mentioned high-profile friends of Epstein's and victims who had spoken publicly. Names of powerful people previously associated with Epstein including Trump, Prince Andrew and former President Clinton, were mentioned in the documents, but they provided little information outside what was already known.