Ex-Palm Beach Police Chief Says Trump Thanked Him for Stopping Epstein

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A former Palm Beach, Florida, police chief who investigated Jeffrey Epstein in the mid-2000s told the FBI that Donald Trump called him at the time to say 'thank goodness you're stopping him, everyone has known he's been doing this', according to an FBI document. The police chief, Michael Reiter, was a central figure in the first law enforcement probe of Epstein in Florida.

Why it matters

This account from the former police chief contradicts Trump's repeated denials of any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and claims that he cut off contact with Epstein more than 20 years ago. It raises questions about Trump's relationship with Epstein and awareness of his alleged misconduct.

The details

Reiter's detectives were investigating Epstein for allegedly recruiting girls as young as 14 years old to provide massages that turned sexual. The alleged call from Trump came in July 2006, around the time the details of the police investigation became public. Reiter went public in 2006, expressing his displeasure with the local prosecutor's decision to take the case to a grand jury instead of charging Epstein directly.

• In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department began investigating Epstein.
• In July 2006, Trump allegedly called Reiter to say 'thank goodness you're stopping him, everyone has known he's been doing this'.
• In 2006, Reiter went public with his displeasure over the local prosecutor's handling of the case.

What they’re saying