Former U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks during anniversary celebrations in the capital Pristina, Kosovo, Wednesday, June 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)WASHINGTON (AP) – Jeffrey Epstein has hobnobbed with some of the world’s most powerful people during his jet-setting life. Future President Donald Trump called him a “terrific guy.” Former President Bill Clinton praised his intellect and philanthropic efforts and was a frequent flyer aboard his private jet.
The arrest of the billionaire financier on child sex trafficking charges is raising questions about how much his high-powered associates knew about the hedge fund manager’s interactions with underage girls, and whether they turned a blind eye to potentially illegal conduct.
It’s also putting new scrutiny on Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who, as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, was involved in a 2008 secret plea deal that allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges.
The White House did not respond to repeated questions Monday about when Trump was last in contact with Epstein or if he had witnessed Epstein engage in illegal activity with underage girls.
In his most extensive known public comments about Epstein, Trump told New York magazine in 2002 that he’d known the financier for 15 years and praised him as a “terrific guy.”