Mark Epstein, the brother of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, recently stated in a CNN interview that Donald Trump called his brother shortly after Trump's election victory in 2016. This assertion contradicts Trump's previous claims of having not spoken to Epstein for many years, during which he described their relationship as having soured. Trump had indicated in 2019 that he had not been a fan of Epstein and had not communicated with him for 'probably 15 years.'

Mark Epstein alleged that Trump initiated the call, expressing surprise at his election win and commenting on the unexpected nature of the victory.

In a related development, Trump signed a bill mandating the Justice Department to release all files associated with Epstein within 30 days, despite having previously opposed the release of these documents. Attorney General Pam Bondi did not provide a timeline for the release or clarify if any files would be withheld during a press conference addressing the matter.

Recent documents released from Epstein's estate included emails suggesting that Trump was aware of Epstein's activities and had spent time with a victim of sex trafficking. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein, asserting that he was unaware of Epstein's criminal behavior.

Mark Epstein also indicated that Trump may have flown on Epstein's private jet multiple times and questioned whether Trump's flight logs have been thoroughly examined for reciprocal flights. He claimed that his brother traveled on Trump's private jet several times. Jeffrey Epstein, who owned properties where sexual misconduct is alleged to have occurred, died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump has stated he was never present at Epstein's properties, although reports indicate he flew on Epstein's plane at least eight times without facing any charges related to Epstein's activities.

Mark Epstein described the friendship between Trump and his brother as strong during the 1990s, suggesting it ended around 2004. Following public pressure, Trump signed legislation requiring the release of files related to law enforcement's investigation into Epstein. However, Mark Epstein expressed skepticism about the speed of this release, suggesting there may be information Trump wishes to keep hidden. The White House has not commented on these allegations.