President Trump has said he never liked Jeffrey Epstein, who has been charged with sex trafficking minors. Reports contradict that account — the two apparently socialized with each other quite frequently before 2004.
"They were tight," one person who observed them together told The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity. "They were each other's wingmen."
Regardless of the nature of their relationship, the Post reports that the two got into a kerfuffle when they were both trying to buy an oceanfront Palm Beach mansion being sold out of bankruptcy in November 2004. The trustee in the case, Joseph Luzinski, recalled the two men lobbying him, insulting one another in the process.
"It was something like Donald saying, 'You don't want to do a deal with him, he doesn't have the money,' while Epstein was saying: 'Donald is all talk. He doesn't have the money,'" Luzinski said. Epstein reportedly had the upper hand at first before Trump made up his mind he wanted the house — which he resold four years latter — "no matter the price." Luzinski described the confrontation as "two very large Palm Beach egos going at it."
It's not clear whether Trump and Epstein were in contact after the sale, but the last known interaction between the two was that month, per records obtained by Vice News. It's also unclear when Trump learned of the allegations levied against Epstein. Less than two weeks after the mansion auction former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter said police fielded a tip that young women had been seen coming and going from Epstein's home. Read more at The Washington Post.