Fact Check: "The Epstein Files were created by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton."
What We Know
Recently, former President Donald Trump claimed that the so-called "Epstein Files" were created by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and other political figures associated with the Democratic Party. In a post on his social media platform, Trump stated, "Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration?" (Yahoo, IBT News). This assertion has sparked significant backlash and ridicule, even among some of Trump's own supporters, who questioned the validity of his claims.
The term "Epstein Files" appears to refer to documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy in 2019. Epstein died in custody that same year, with his death ruled a suicide. The investigation into Epstein was conducted during Trump's presidency, and there is no evidence to support the existence of any files created by Obama or Clinton regarding Epstein (MSNBC, Rolling Stone).
Analysis
Trump's assertion lacks factual basis and logical consistency. Both Obama and Clinton left office before the events surrounding Epstein's arrest and subsequent death unfolded. Obama was president until January 2017, and Clinton served as Secretary of State until February 2013. Therefore, they could not have created any files related to Epstein during the time frame in question (IBT News, CNN).
Moreover, Trump's comments seem to reflect a broader pattern of conspiracy theories that he has previously propagated. His framing of the Epstein Files as a political smear tactic aligns with his historical tendency to dismiss credible investigations as partisan attacks (Yahoo, Rolling Stone). The reliability of Trump's statements is further undermined by the fact that they contradict his earlier promises to release the Epstein Files if re-elected, showcasing a lack of consistency in his messaging (IBT News).
Critics have pointed out that Trump's claims are not only unfounded but also serve to deflect attention from his own connections to Epstein, as he has been photographed with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in the past (IBT News, CNN). This raises questions about the motivations behind his statements and whether they are intended to mislead rather than inform.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton created the Epstein Files is not supported by any credible evidence. Both figures were out of office during the relevant time period, and the assertion appears to be a politically motivated conspiracy theory rather than a factual statement.
Sources
- On Jeffrey Epstein, Trump rolls out a new conspiracy theory ...
- On Jeffrey Epstein, Trump rolls out a new conspiracy theory ...
- Trump Claims Epstein Files Were Created by Obama, Hillary ...
- Trump defends Bondi amid MAGA fallout over her handling ...
- Blaming 'Obama, Crooked Hillary': Trump's Epstein Memo ...
- Trump says Epstein files created by Obama, Clinton - MSN
- Trump Defends Pam Bondi, Shifts Blame for Epstein Files ...
- Musk slams Trump's defense of Bondi on Epstein controversy
![Fact Check: Trump says he wants the FBI to investigate who created the "Epstein hoax" and notes "so much of the things that we found [in the files] were fake, with me."](/_next/image?url=%2Fapi%2Fimages%2Fblog-images%2F55622%2Ftrump-says-he-wants-the-fbi-to-34492d46.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
