In a New York Magazine article on Epstein from 2002, Donald Trump was quoted as saying: "I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it, Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

In the days since the Trump administration released a memo on Jeffrey Epstein directly at odds with conspiracy theories pushed by the president and some of his top lieutenants, Donald Trump’s movement and most ardent supporters are in revolt.