WASHINGTON. D.C. – A newly public FBI interview tied to the Jeffrey Epstein case is drawing attention as the Department of Justice continues releasing large batches of Epstein-related records.
The interview, conducted in 2019, includes former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter’s account of a phone call he says he received in July 2006 from then-businessman Donald Trump.
According to the FBI summary, Trump called shortly after news spread about the early Palm Beach investigation into Epstein. Reiter told agents that Trump thanked local authorities for pursuing the case and said “everyone has known he’s been doing this.” Reiter said Trump described Epstein’s conduct with teenage girls as something people already talked about in New York and in local circles.
Reiter also recalled Trump urging investigators to pay attention to Ghislaine Maxwell, whom he described as Epstein’s “operative.” In the interview summary, Trump allegedly told police that Maxwell was “evil” and said they should focus on her. Reiter added that Trump claimed he had once been around Epstein when teenagers were present and “got the hell out of there.”
Those details don’t match the long-running picture often presented in major news coverage that frames Trump as closely tied to Epstein’s criminal activity.
Over the years, reporting has highlighted their social overlap in the 1990s and early 2000s, references in flight logs, and an old Trump quote describing Epstein as a “terrific guy” who liked “beautiful women… on the younger side.” Critics have used those items, especially during election cycles, to suggest something more serious.
This newly surfaced FBI record points to a different version of events, one where Trump distances himself and contacts law enforcement soon after the investigation becomes known.
People familiar with the timeline have also pointed to accounts that Trump had already banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago around that period, reportedly after an incident involving inappropriate behavior toward a member’s teenage daughter. In Reiter’s telling, Trump was among the “very first people” who reached out once the probe was in the open.
Pushing Back on Familiar Headlines
For years, common narratives have treated Trump and Epstein as near inseparable, often leaning on selective quotes and unverified claims to imply deeper involvement. During the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, and again in later cycles, stories circulated tying Trump to Epstein’s private island or to misconduct with minors. Those claims have repeatedly failed to produce court-tested evidence or findings in official investigations.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed in late 2025, required the release of many records that had been partially withheld. As more pages become readable, Trump’s name appears often, but many mentions are routine, such as messages, contact notes, or passing references.
The 2006 call described by Reiter stands out because it reads as favorable to Trump’s position. It also tracks with Trump’s public comments over the years, including claims that he barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago and cut ties after hearing about behavior he described as “creepy.”
Reiter’s interview was recorded in 2019 and is now part of the DOJ’s phased releases. The Miami Herald was among the first outlets to spotlight the document, noting it could shift how people talk about what Trump knew and when. Trump supporters say it weakens the “Trump-Epstein buddy” storyline that they believe was used to harm him politically.
Attempts to Tie Epstein Directly to Trump
From the first Palm Beach investigation in 2005 to 2006 through Epstein’s 2019 arrest and death, political opponents have tried to use any Trump-Epstein connection as a weapon. At the same time, Bill Clinton’s repeated appearances in flight logs did not always draw the same level of sustained attention, while Trump’s documented contacts were often treated as more central.
Democratic strategists and media voices have floated theories of Trump’s complicity in hearings and news cycles. Some recent releases also include tips and allegations submitted to the FBI, sometimes arriving close to elections. The DOJ has cautioned that many claims in the broader file set are not credible and were not pursued.
In that context, the Reiter account matters because it presents Trump as someone who, after the investigation became public, called the police to express support and to point them toward Maxwell’s role. The call also came before Epstein’s 2008 plea deal and later federal scrutiny, placing it earlier than many of the talking points that surfaced years later.
What This Could Mean for the Larger Epstein Record
The continuing release of Epstein documents, described as running into the millions of pages, has exposed a wide web of contacts that includes politicians, wealthy donors, and celebrities. Some names raise new questions.
Others add context to relationships that have been argued about for years. Reiter’s description of the 2006 call adds a concrete data point to one of the most politicized storylines in the Epstein saga.
Trump has long denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes while they moved in some of the same social circles. He has said the relationship ended because of Epstein’s behavior. The newly unredacted FBI summary supports that defense in at least one key way: it records a law enforcement leader saying Trump encouraged investigators to pursue the case.
As additional files become public, attention may move away from rumor-driven claims and toward what the documents actually show. For victims and for the public, more transparency can help separate hard facts from political messaging, even when the results don’t fit anyone’s preferred narrative.
