What has Musk accused Trump of in relation to the Epstein files?

The tech billionaire and proprietor of Tesla and Starlink, Elon Musk, has accused United States President Donald Trump of being 1 of the names successful the still-sealed Epstein files, and claims that this is the existent crushed cardinal documents are inactive being withheld from the public.

In January 2024, galore of the alleged “Epstein files” compiled by US national investigators were released to the public. However, immoderate remained sealed.

Trump’s presidency began with a beardown boost from Musk, who donated ample sums to Trump’s statesmanlike run and was appointed to pb a recently formed national bureau aimed astatine streamlining authorities operations, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

But that narration fractured aft Musk resigned from the role successful May 2025, pursuing mounting nationalist backlash implicit fiscal policies and a crisp diminution successful Tesla’s stock.

Since then, Musk has go progressively vocal successful his criticism of Trump, calling his “One Big Beautiful Bill” a “disgusting abomination” for expanding the nationalist indebtedness and eliminating electrical conveyance subsidies, and, now, accusing him of links to Epstein.

Here’s what we cognize astir the Epstein files and Musk’s accusations.

What are the Epstein files?

The “Epstein files” are a postulation of documents compiled by US national authorities during investigations into the activities of Jeffrey Epstein, the now-deceased financier and convicted enactment offender.

These files see formation logs, interaction lists, tribunal records and different materials documenting his activities and associations with high-profile individuals.

The archetypal large merchandise of the documents took spot successful January 2024, erstwhile a national justice ordered the unsealing of records from a 2015 defamation suit against Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

In February 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) followed up with an official declassification of further documents, galore of which had already leaked, featuring redacted formation logs and interaction books.

However, galore documents stay sealed oregon heavy redacted, prompting nationalist calls for afloat disclosure.

US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the FBI is reviewing tens of thousands of documents, with further releases pending indispensable redactions to support victims and ongoing investigations.

What has Musk said astir the Epstein files?

On Thursday, Musk publically accused President Donald Trump of being named successful the unreleased Epstein files.

In a station connected his societal media level X, Musk wrote: “@realDonaldTrump is successful the Epstein files. That is the existent crushed they person not been made public.” He did not supply immoderate grounds to enactment this claim.

Time to driblet the truly large bomb:@realDonaldTrump is successful the Epstein files. That is the existent crushed they person not been made public.

Have a bully day, DJT!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

Has Trump responded?

Trump has not straight addressed Musk’s assertion regarding the Epstein files.

However, during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz astatine the White House connected Thursday, Trump said helium was “very disappointed” by Musk’s disapproval of the fiscal measure and suggested that Musk’s absorption was down to the elimination of electrical conveyance subsidies.

“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took distant his EV Mandate that forced everyone to bargain Electric Cars that cipher other wanted (that helium knew for months I was going to do!), and helium conscionable went CRAZY!” Trump wrote successful a societal media station connected Thursday.

Trump besides threatened to terminate national contracts and subsidies for Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, stating that this would prevention the US authorities billions of dollars.

What bash we cognize astir Trump’s narration with Epstein?

Trump and Epstein were acquaintances successful the 1980s and 1990s, often seen astatine societal occasions unneurotic successful New York and Palm Beach, Florida. Their appearances unneurotic were documented successful quality sum and societal pages astatine the time, portion US media reported the 2 became adjacent during the 1990s erstwhile Epstein bought a mansion adjacent Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound successful Palm Beach.

A 1992 video published by NBC News shows Trump and Epstein socialising and watching dancers astatine a enactment hosted at Mar-a-Lago.

In a 2002 illustration of Epstein by New York Magazine, Trump was quoted describing Epstein arsenic a “terrific guy” who enjoyed the institution of beauteous women “on the younger side”.

“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a batch of amusive to beryllium with. It is adjacent said that helium likes beauteous women arsenic overmuch arsenic I do, and galore of them are connected the younger side,” Trump said.

Flight logs released during tribunal proceedings against Maxwell amusement that Trump flew connected Epstein’s backstage pitchy astatine slightest 7 times betwixt 1993 and 1997, occasionally with household members.

Epstein’s “Black Book” – a interaction directory obtained successful 2015 by Gawker, a now-defunct US blog that covered celebrities and media – was aboriginal submitted arsenic tribunal grounds and listed aggregate telephone numbers and addresses for Trump, including his office, location and Mar-a-Lago.

What happens now?

Once allies, Musk’s narration with Trump has deteriorated importantly since his disapproval of Trump’s fiscal policy and consequent allegations astir the Epstein files.

Trump’s threats to chopped national contracts with Musk’s companies led to a 14 percent drop successful Tesla’s banal value. Musk has since called for Trump’s impeachment and replacement with US Vice President JD Vance.

This nationalist spat has besides drawn attraction from governmental figures, with immoderate Democrats demanding the merchandise of the afloat Epstein files and questioning whether they are being withheld owed to imaginable implications for Trump.