A newly released FBI document reveals that Donald Trump contacted Palm Beach police in 2006 about Jeffrey Epstein, declaring that “everyone has known he’s been doing this” years before the financier’s crimes became public knowledge.
Story Snapshot
- FBI files from a 2019 interview with former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter document Trump’s July 2006 phone call praising law enforcement for investigating Epstein
- Trump reportedly told Reiter that people in New York knew Epstein was “disgusting,” had banned him from Mar-a-Lago, and identified Ghislaine Maxwell as Epstein’s “evil operative”
- The Department of Justice states it is “not aware of corroborating evidence” beyond Reiter’s account, while the White House says the call “may or may not have happened”
- The revelation contrasts sharply with Trump’s later public statements claiming he “had no idea” about Epstein’s criminal behavior
The Palm Beach Phone Call That Stayed Hidden for Years
Former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter received an unexpected phone call in July 2006. Donald Trump, then a prominent real estate magnate with his Mar-a-Lago estate in the area, wanted to discuss the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. According to the FBI document, Trump’s opening words were direct: “Thank goodness you’re stopping him, everyone has known he’s been doing this.” The call occurred during the early stages of a criminal probe that began in March 2005 after a parent reported Epstein’s sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl. Trump’s outreach positioned him among the first elite figures to contact authorities about the case.
What Trump Allegedly Knew About Epstein and Maxwell
The FBI document reveals specific details Trump shared with Reiter during their conversation. Trump stated that “people in New York knew Epstein was disgusting” and explained he had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Trump reportedly told Reiter he made sure to avoid Epstein around teenagers. The document also records Trump identifying Ghislaine Maxwell, now serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s crimes, as Epstein’s “operative” and calling her “evil.” These statements paint a picture of someone deeply aware of Epstein’s predatory patterns years before federal charges materialized in 2019.
The Contradiction That Raises Questions
Trump’s alleged 2006 statements to Reiter clash with his later public position. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Trump claimed he “had no idea” about the financier’s criminal activities. The newly released FBI file documents awareness that extends far beyond casual social acquaintance. Trump and Epstein moved in the same Palm Beach and New York elite circles throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. A 2002 quote has Trump calling Epstein a “terrific guy” who enjoyed women “on the younger side.” The evolution from social peer to alleged informant creates a narrative gap that neither supporters nor critics can easily dismiss.
The Evidentiary Puzzle Missing Its Pieces
The Department of Justice released this FBI document as part of millions of pages related to the Epstein investigation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a carefully worded response on February 10, 2026, stating the call “may or may not have happened” while asserting it aligns with Trump’s consistent narrative about banning Epstein. The DOJ emphasized it lacks corroborating evidence beyond Reiter’s 2019 interview. No phone logs, no contemporaneous police reports, no additional witnesses have surfaced. Reiter, who retired in 2009 and confirmed the call’s details to the Miami Herald in 2019, stands as the sole source. This creates an interesting scenario where the document itself is authentic, but independent verification remains absent.
Why This Document Matters Now
The timing of these revelations carries weight beyond historical curiosity. Elite awareness of predatory behavior without adequate intervention represents a systemic failure that enabled years of abuse. The document suggests Trump possessed knowledge that could have accelerated Epstein’s prosecution, yet Epstein secured a controversial 2008 plea deal that avoided federal charges until 2019. Whether Trump’s alleged contact with Reiter influenced the investigation’s trajectory remains unclear. Victims and their families continue waiting for complete transparency about who knew what and when. The slow release of documents prolongs their search for accountability while public figures parse carefully worded statements about events from two decades ago.
Tuesday War Room: Bombshell New Docs Show Trump Called Police About Epstein in 2006: ‘Thank Goodness You’re Stopping Him,’ Lutnick Testifies He ‘Barely Had Anything’ to Do With Epstein – FULL SHOW@HarrisonHSmith pic.twitter.com/tCd6a5Kofr
— INFOWARS (@infowars) February 11, 2026
The FBI file raises fundamental questions about responsibility in elite circles where whispers about misconduct rarely translate to action. If Trump indeed made that 2006 call, it demonstrates more initiative than many in similar positions took. If the call cannot be corroborated, the document becomes another fragment in the incomplete mosaic of the Epstein scandal. Either way, the gap between what powerful people knew and what they did with that knowledge remains the most troubling aspect of this entire sordid chapter.
