Former Police Chief Claims Trump Acknowledged Epstein's Misdeeds in 2006

Wed Feb 11 2026 20:42:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A former police chief has stated that Donald Trump acknowledged Jeffrey Epstein's behaviour in a 2006 call, suggesting that Trump was aware of Epstein's criminal activities prior to his arrest.

A recently released FBI document reveals that former Palm Beach police chief Michael Reiter alleged Donald Trump called him in 2006 to express concern over Jeffrey Epstein's behaviour, stating that 'everyone' knew about it. The call has raised questions regarding Trump’s prior knowledge of Epstein's alleged crimes, conflicting with his past denials of awareness. Trump's spokesperson offered a response, highlighting Trump's position on Epstein prior to ceasing their friendship, and downplaying the significance of the reported call.

A former Florida police chief said he received a call from Donald Trump in 2006 in which the now-president told him everyone knows about Jeffrey Epstein’s behaviour, according to an FBI document released by the Justice Department.

The document is a written record of a 2019 FBI interview with the former Palm Beach police chief. Reiter claims Trump called him after the department launched an investigation into Epstein, saying: Thank goodness you're stopping him, everyone has known he's been doing this. The officer's name is redacted, but the document identifies the interview subject as the Palm Beach police chief at the time of the Epstein investigation. That was Michael Reiter, who confirmed the phone call to the Miami Herald.

The president has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding Epstein and has claimed he did not know about Epstein’s criminal actions. However, the alleged phone call raises further questions about what Trump knew and when. In a 2019 interview, when asked about any suspicions he had regarding Epstein, Trump said: No, I had no idea. I had no idea. I haven't spoken to him in many, many years.

According to the FBI summary, during the 2006 call, Trump mentioned he had expelled Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club and stated that people in New York knew he was disgusting. Reiter recounted that Trump described Ghislaine Maxwell as Epstein's operative and added, she is evil and to focus on her. Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in trafficking underage girls for Epstein, has become a focal point in ongoing investigations related to Epstein.

In 2006, Palm Beach police began investigating Epstein for allegations regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, which later escalated to federal level. Following a controversial plea deal in 2008 that protected Epstein from further serious charges, calls for accountability have resurfaced in the wake of Maxwell's recent congressional hearing, where she refused to answer questions and invoked her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.

In response to inquiries about the reported 2006 call between Trump and Reiter, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated it may or may not have happened in 2006, and stressed that Trump has maintained his position about distancing from Epstein due to his behaviour. The details surrounding these allegations continue to spark public interest and media scrutiny as both Trump and Epstein's associations come under renewed examination.