Biographer recalls Trump and Epstein's rivalry over Clinton

Journalist Michael Wolff reveals new details about the three men's complex relationships.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A moody, cinematic painting of an empty boardroom table with a laptop and glass, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and the lingering shadows of a scandal involving the powerful.The elite circles that enabled Jeffrey Epstein's crimes are now shrouded in shadows, raising questions about the interplay of power, wealth, and influence.Clinton Today

According to a new report from journalist Michael Wolff, sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and former President Donald Trump were engaged in a rivalry over their connections to former President Bill Clinton. Epstein saw his friendship with Clinton as a way to gain legitimacy and influence, while Trump also had a 'Clinton crush' and saw proximity to the ex-president as valuable. Epstein ultimately won out, securing Clinton's use of his private plane, which led to increased scrutiny and Epstein's eventual arrest.

Why it matters

The complex relationships between Epstein, Trump, and Clinton shed light on the web of elite connections that enabled Epstein's sex trafficking operation to thrive for years. It also highlights the power dynamics and status-seeking behaviors among powerful men in politics and business.

The details

Wolff reports that Epstein saw his friendship with Clinton as a way to gain political contacts and legitimacy, while Trump also had a 'Clinton crush' and saw proximity to the ex-president as valuable. Epstein ultimately won out, securing Clinton's use of his private plane, which led to increased media attention and scrutiny that Epstein later claimed contributed to his arrest.

  • In 2002, Epstein thought his friendship with Clinton could be his 'ticket' to influence and status.
  • The New York Post later ran a story about Clinton traveling with Epstein, which Epstein said resulted in too much attention and his eventual arrest.

The players

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex trafficker whose connections to elite circles, including former Presidents Clinton and Trump, have shaken power structures around the world.

Donald Trump

The current President of the United States, who also had a 'Clinton crush' and saw proximity to the former president as valuable.

Bill Clinton

The former President of the United States, whose friendship with Epstein and use of his private plane became a source of controversy.

Michael Wolff

A journalist who spent 20 years in Epstein's orbit and is reporting new details about the relationships between Epstein, Trump, and Clinton.

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What they’re saying

“Epstein had, like so many others of the time, a Clinton crush, a childlike awe of his political talents and for the ways he had flown so near the sun.”

— Michael Wolff, Journalist

“Perhaps they both saw themselves in Clinton, and saw their race to be noted as friends of Bill as a way to have it all — legitimacy and, as Epstein put it, 'lifestyle.'”

— Michael Wolff, Journalist

“You have to remember how much people hated Clinton, for being as popular as he was and for what he had gotten away with. Clinton was the guy who made it all so personal, every public attack. I walked into that, collateral damage.”

— Jeffrey Epstein

“Look, I like him, and I don't like seeing him deposed.”

— Donald Trump, President

What’s next

It remains to be seen if Clinton will be called to testify in the ongoing Epstein Files investigation, and how his relationship with Epstein may further impact his legacy.

The takeaway

The complex relationships between Epstein, Trump, and Clinton highlight the web of elite connections that enabled Epstein's sex trafficking operation to thrive, as well as the status-seeking behaviors and power dynamics among powerful men in politics and business.