Rumors that U.S. President Donald Trump made a statement claiming he "never had the privilege" of visiting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's private island circulated online in July 2025.
Users shared the claim on social media platforms like X (archived), Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived) and Reddit. Some users took issue with Trump's alleged phrasing of the statement and included a meme that read, "If you call visiting Epstein's island a privilege, you might be a pedophile."
(magaparents on Reddit)
Claims that Trump said he "never had the privilege of going to" Epstein's island are attributed correctly.
The president made the statement during a news conference with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer on July 28, 2025. The conference occurred at Trump Turnberry, a golf resort the president owns in Scotland.
Clips from the interview including the statement in question are available to view on the YouTube channels of The Associated Press, NBC News and Reuters. "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" also featured the clip in the show's opening monologue on July 28.
The statement came in response to a reporter's question about a time when Trump allegedly threw Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump referred to the question as "such old history" and said it was "very easy to explain." Trump's response in full was:
That's such old history. Very easy to explain, but I don't want to waste your time by explaining it. But for years, I wouldn't talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn't talk because he did something that was inappropriate. He hired help. And I said, "Don't ever do that again." He stole people that worked for me. I said, "Don't ever do that again." 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. And by the way, I never went to the island and Bill Clinton went there supposedly 28 times. I never went to the island, but Larry Summers I hear went there. He was the head of Harvard. And many other people that are very big people. Nobody ever talks about them. I've never had the privilege of going to his island. And I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn't want to go to his island.
The White House press office declined to comment on the record about Trump's statement when reached via email.
The statement occurred as Trump faced increased pressure regarding his name allegedly appearing in the personal client list of Epstein, which his administration has been accused of covering up even as the Department of Justice declared no such list exists.
In addition to fielding the aforementioned question about Epstein, Trump also addressed topics including Gaza, Ukraine and tariffs alongside Starmer. The full conference is available to view on YouTube.