Epstein email cites Trump 'dementia' worry going back 10 years

Email claims Trump exhibited signs of memory loss at 2018 dinner

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A newly unearthed email from Jeffrey Epstein to author Michael Wolff claims that some attendees at a 2018 dinner with President Donald Trump were concerned that Trump may have been exhibiting symptoms of dementia, including wearing "tons of makeup" and being unable to recognize "old friends."

Why it matters

Speculation about Trump's mental health has swirled in recent years, with critics pointing to his rambling speeches and unexplained medical scans as potential signs of cognitive decline. This email from Epstein adds to those concerns, suggesting Trump may have been showing signs of dementia nearly a decade ago.

The details

According to the email, Epstein wrote to Wolff that "some at dinner wtih donald last night , were concerned about dementia." The dinner reportedly took place on December 28, 2018 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and the only known guest was former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, though other guests may have been present. Trump's father, Fred Trump, had suffered from Alzheimer's disease in the 1990s until his death in 1999.

  • The dinner took place on December 28, 2018 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

The players

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who has faced speculation about his mental health in recent years.

Jeffrey Epstein

The late financier and convicted sex offender who wrote the email to author Michael Wolff expressing concerns about Trump's mental state.

Wilbur Ross

Trump's former Secretary of Commerce who was the only known guest at the dinner in question.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“some at dinner wtih donald last night , were concerned about dementia. tons of makeup. did not recognize old friends.”

— Jeffrey Epstein (rawstory.com)

What’s next

The White House has not commented on the newly surfaced email from Epstein, and it remains to be seen if this will reignite broader concerns about Trump's mental health.

The takeaway

This email from Epstein adds to the ongoing questions about Trump's cognitive abilities, particularly given his family history of Alzheimer's disease. While the White House has dismissed such concerns in the past, this new evidence suggests Trump may have been exhibiting signs of dementia years earlier than previously known.