The two socialized together frequently in New York City and Palm Beach from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. In 2002, Trump praised Epstein to a reporter as a “terrific guy” — and curiously added that he “likes beautiful women” on “the younger side.”

Trump’s decision to seek the release of grand jury transcripts but not Justice Department files comes after a recent article by the WSJ reporting on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein led many to believe the 47th US president may personally be implicated in evidence against the disgraced financier.