The House of Representatives controlled by Republicansclose early for its summer break to prevent Jeffrey Epstein-related cases.
The Republican Party in the Senate has been insee-no-evil state for the past weekamid the ongoing debate regarding the mysterious disappearance of the client list belonging to the successful financier and convicted sex offender who once associated with Donald Trumpand Bill Clinton along with numerous other influential figures.
It is entirely logical that President Trump is looking forward to a five-day break fromthe storm of consequences following Epstein that has put him in a difficult situation not just with Democrats but his own “Make America Great Again” supportersamid the Justice Department’s refusal to disclose all the Epstein documents, as Trump and AG Pam Bondi had pledged.
Well, Scotland might not be distant enough for that.
Certainly, Trump is set to meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the start of next week, but the majority of his confirmed schedule for the visit —which is projected to cost the public $10 million— includes trips to his Scottish golf locations. One is Trump Turnberry, and the other is Trump International in Aberdeen, where he is planning to unveil a new course named after his late mother, Mary Anne McLeod Trump, who was born in Scotland.
And that’s the issue for Trump, due to a specific member of the Royal family who is a golf enthusiast and regularly visits his courses, is Scotland’s Earl of Inverness — and who also happens to bemarred by his previous close association with Jeffrey Epstein … Prince Andrew.
Trump Turnberry continues to highlight its visits by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who had to step back from his royal responsibilities in 2020 due to his association with Epstein.
A former Royal Navy officer – currently eighth in line for the British throne – maintained a lengthy and contentious association with the late sex offender, which began before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor and persisted even after the financier was shunned by most reputable circles.
Andrew’s practice of staying at Epstein’s properties while traveling to the U.S. sparked debate, despite the royal asserting there was no improper aspect to the connection and firmly denying any misconduct.
However, the murmurs and speculations gained a more pressing nature following Andrew’s involvement as a defendant in a civil lawsuit.brought by the late Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who claimed that the Duke had a sexual relationship with her after she was trafficked to him as a young person by Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Despite Buckingham Palace stating in a 2015 statement that Giuffre’s claims — which involved allegations of sexual encounters with the Duke on three different occasions — were “completely false,” the Duke and Giuffre eventually reached a settlement in February 2022, without any acknowledgment of fault, just one month following Andrew’s royal sponsorships and honorary military positions being removed by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Duke of York has consistently rejected the claims made by Giuffre.
Giuffre, possibly the most vocal victim of Epstein’s sexual misconduct,passed away by suicide at the age of 41 in April.
It is with completely broken hearts that we share the news that Virginia passed away last night at her farm inWestern Australia,” Giuffre’s family stated in a press release to The Independent Following her passing. “She lost her life to suicide, after being a long-term victim of sexual abuse and human trafficking.”
Since that time, Andrew has mostly stayed away from the public eye, his reputation damaged by his link to the deceased sexual offender.
But this shame seems not to concern Trump or his namesake real estate and resort firm, which as of this weekstill lists Andrew among the “notable visitors”those who have appreciated the “refined hospitality” at Trump Turnberry.
His golf resort in Aberdeenshire has even stronger ties to the prince, who was instrumental in persuading Trump to construct it in 2006, just a few years before he entered the American political arena.
As reported by Agence France-Presse, Andrew met with Trump at his namesake New York high-rise in September of that year, aiming to persuade the developer to proceed with the Aberdeen golf initiative. He subsequently remarked that the Prince was a “great guy” who had left a “fantastic impression” on him.
“He delivered a speech here to ensure I invest one billion pounds in your nation, and that’s exactly what I intend to do,” Trump said, as reported.
The bond between the prince and the upcoming president lasted throughout the following ten years, and when Trump traveled to Scotland in his second year at the White House, Andrew accompanied him for a game of golf at Turnberry — a match Trump subsequently said he won.
The two maintained a friendly relationship, so when President Trump came to the U.K. for a state visit during his first term in 2019, Andrew was chosen as his royal companion.
The president’s journey to his ancestral homeland occurs as thereremains a topic of cross-party controversy regarding Justice Department documentsregarding Epstein, a former influential financial figure and convicted child abuser who was taken into custody by federal agents in 2019 on charges of sexual trafficking and later discovered to have taken his own life while being held before his trial.
The years-old prosecution has has been a long-standing obsession for numerous Trump supporters within the MAGA movementthose who think they hold harmful details about well-known Democrats and other left-leaning celebrities.
For many years, the president’s backers have advocated for the disclosure of what they claim is a list of influential individuals accused of being involved in Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls, along with additional data they think would harm the image of Democratic Party members, several Hollywood stars, and other supposed elites they believe are part of a shadowy group steering global affairs.
Trump has shown approval of these views and suggested during his 2024 campaign that his government would disclose the documents if he won the presidential election last year. However, several of his well-known supporters have expressed discontent in recent weeks following the Department of Justice’s decision not to release the so-called Epstein Files.
And members of the Democratic party are now adding their voices to the growing demand for openness, referencing Trump’s probable involvement in the papers due to his extended relationship with Epstein.
Trump associated with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, but is said to have ended contact prior to Epstein’s admission of guilt for state charges related to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Although Trump has not faced any official accusations or criminal charges, his association with Epstein, whom he once referred to as a friend, has fueled speculation that the government is hiding documents that might expose sensitive details about prominent people.
Nevertheless, being mentioned in the so-called Epstein contact list or case documents does not imply any misconduct andTrump has stated he was unaware of Epstein’s wrongdoing prior to ending their friendship, as has Bill Clinton..
Trump has also sued the Wall Street Journal for spreading false informationregarding its coverage that he shared a suggestive 50th birthday message with Epstein. Clinton, in a similar manner, was said to be among several individuals who sent messages to the financier on that occasion.
On Thursday, Trump tried once again to convince his supporters not to focus on the Epstein issue by criticizing it on Truth Social, labeling the whole situation a “scam” and a “hoax,” and expressing hope that the release of grand jury evidence related to the deceased sex offender would end the matter.
However, if the president is trying to create some separation from the scandal by spending time on the golf course, he has chosen the incorrect venues.
The Independent represents a variety of principles, often in a distinctive manner. It remains free from ties to any political party and forms its own opinions on current matters. The Independent has consistently aimed to encourage discussion and debate. It was established in 1986 to introduce a fresh perspective, and over the years has supported campaigns covering topics such as the legalization of marijuana and the Final Say Brexit petition.
