Donald Trump flew to campaign events in Jeffrey Epstein's old plane

After mechanical issues with his own aircraft, the former president's campaign rented Epstein's old jet

By Marin Scotten

News Fellow

Published August 13, 2024 1:20PM (EDT)

Portrait of American financier Jeffrey Epstein (left) and real estate developer Donald Trump as they pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, 1997. (Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)
Portrait of American financier Jeffrey Epstein (left) and real estate developer Donald Trump as they pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida, 1997. (Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump flew on a Gulfstream jet previously owned by deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, traveling from Montana to Wyoming to Colorado for campaign events, The New York Times reported

The Gulfstream jet used by Trump is not the plane known as the “Lolita Express,” which Epstein reportedly used to traffic young girls to and from his private island. 

Trump’s go-to plane, informally known as “Trump Force One,” experienced mechanical issues while traveling to a rally in Bozeman, Mont., on Friday. His team called Private Jet Services Group for a replacement, which ended up being Epstein’s former Gulfstream jet. 

Trump’s campaign told The Miami Herald it was unaware the jet was previously owned by Epstein. 

“The campaign had no awareness that the charter plane had been owned by Mr. Epstein. We heard about the former owner through the media,” a spokeswoman said.

The plane is now owned by a California-based charter jet company, Threshold Aviation Group, The Herald reported.

Epstein was arrested in 2019 for sex trafficking minors, some of whom were as young as 14. He died by suicide in his prison cell just a month after he was arrested.

The former president and Epstein ran in the same social circles for many years and were often photographed together in the late 90s. 

Trump’s name is also mentioned in Epstein-related court documents released earlier this year, though he has since tried to distance himself.

 


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