2024: Trump asked about Epstein on the campaign trail
In June 2024, Trump was asked if he would release various files -- including the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassination files and the Epstein files -- during an interview with Fox News.
"Would you declassify the Epstein files?" Fox News' Rachel Campos-Duffy asked. Trump responded, "Yeah, yeah, I would."
That clip was circulated widely online, including by the Trump War Room -- the social media account of Trump's campaign operation. The account posted it to X with the caption: "President Trump says he will DECLASSIFY the 9/11 Files, JFK Files, and Epstein Files."
But Trump's full answer to the question wasn't shown until it played on Will Cain's radio show.
In September 2024, Trump made a more firm pledge to release Epstein files during a podcast with Lex Fridman.
Fridman, in conversation with Trump, said "it's just very strange for a lot of people that the list of clients that went to the island has not been made public."
"It's very interesting, isn't it? It probably will be, by the way, probably," Trump said.
"If you're able to, you'll be --" Fridman started before Trump jumped in.
Trump faces backlash from MAGA supporters over his admin's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Here's what he's said about the disgraced financier over the years.
abcnews.go.com