Trump banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after he hit on teenage girl, book claims

Donald Trump banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after the disgraced financier hit on another member’s teenage daughter, a new book has claimed.

Epstein was a member of the now-president’s Palm Beach, Florida, club until 2007, according to The Grifter’s Club, a detail that has contradicted what Mr Trump’s company previously said about the president’s relationship with the convicted sex predator.

The book stated that Epstein’s account with Mar-a-Lago was closed in October 2007 after an incident with another member’s daughter.

One club member said Mr Trump “kicked Epstein out after Epstein harassed the daughter of a member. The way this person described it, such an act could irreparably harm the Trump brand, leaving Donald no choice but to remove Epstein,” Sarah Blaskey, an investigative reporter for the Miami Herald and one of the co-authors of the book, told the newspaper. “The Trump Organisation did not respond to our requests for comment on this or other matters.”

This falling out allegedly occurred prior to the financier pleading guilty to state criminal charges in Florida in 2008, which included charges of Epstein paying for sexual services from a 14-year-old girl.

“The member lists we saw were essentially spreadsheets,” Miami Herald reporter Nicholas Nehamas, another co-author of the book, told his publication.

“They listed current members, honorary members and former members. Red cells indicate the closed account details for former members. Most closed accounts are labelled ‘Resigned’ and then the date that the membership ended. Epstein’s account says ‘Account closed 10/07.’”

The Independent contacted the Trump Organisation for a comment.

A Trump Organisation official previously denied Epstein was ever a member of any of the president’s clubs after the investor was arrested in July 2019 on child sex trafficking charges.

“I’m not a fan,” Mr Trump told reporters when asked about Epstein last year. The president added he “kicked him out” of one of his clubs and hadn’t seen the financier in 15 years.

Epstein later died in his Manhattan federal jail cell in what authorities ruled was a suicide.

Prior to the presidency, Mr Trump was a real estate developer and reality TV star. Pictures from past events show the president was friendly with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

During a press conference, the president said he wished Maxwell “well” when asked about her arrest in July. She was denied bail after pleading “not guilty” to charges relating to aiding Epstein in sexually trafficking girls as young as 14. She will stay in a Brooklyn federal prison until her trial in July 2021.

Mr Trump then repeated his sentiments in an interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan, which aired Monday. “She’s now in jail. Yeah, I wish her well,” he said.

Epstein was also friends with Prince Andrew and President Bill Clinton, both of whom have denied any involvement in the financier’s child trafficking charges.