U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after signing the sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Internet critics laid into President Donald Trump's comments Tuesday afternoon after he accused Jeffrey Epstein of poaching young women from his Mar-a-Lago beach club spa.
The first Epstein accuser to come forward publicly was Virginia Giuffre, a former Mar-a-Lago locker room attendant who was under 18 at the time. She said she was recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell, where she was told she could "train" as a massage therapist.
Trump seemed to imply that other women who worked in his spa were also "stolen" by Epstein.
In answering questions aboard Air Force One, Trump described other staff members previously unknown.
"Well, I don't want to say, but everyone knows the people that were taken, and it was the concept of taking people that work, for me, is bad, but that story has been pretty well out there, and the answer is yes, they were in the spa," Trump said according to TNND. "People that work in this five-star great spa, one of the best spas in the world, at Mar-a-Lago, and people were taken out of the spa hired by him."
The remarks have raised more questions for folks following the story.
"This story is getting so out of hand for Trump. First he never knew him, then no one cared and we should all move on. Pretty soon he'll say he rescued Giuffre and personally arrested Epstein," said civil litigator Owen Barcala.
"Trump was cool with the sex-trafficking. NOT cool with the employee-poaching. Got it!" wrote Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on X.
The Trump-Epstein timeline is now also prompting questions about what Trump knew, when he knew it, and why he didn't report it.
Alex Shephard, staff writer at The New Republic, pointed out, "Trump says his feud with Epstein began when he 'stole' Virginia Giuffre (!) away from her job as a Mar-a-Lago spa attendant but said this about him two years later."
"I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy," Trump told New York magazine in 2002, the New York Times recalled. "He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
National security analyst Marcy Wheeler listed off the details of the timeline: "Summer 2000: Epstein "steals" Virginia Giuffre and turns her into a sex slave October 2002: Trump tells New York, 'It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' By January 2003: Trump sends Epstein letter saying 'may every day be another wonderful secret. Before 2007: A member's daughter claims Epstein attempted to recruit her."
On her own site, Wheeler asked, "Did Trump Just Confess He Learned about Virginia Giuffre before Jeffrey Epstein Recruited Someone Else at Mar-a-Lago?"
"I would imagine every elected Republican is begging Trump not to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell so they don't have to spend years answering questions about things like Epstein stealing young women from Trump," wrote conspiracy theory expert Mike Rothschild.
The implication that Trump treated these young women as though they were his property was another thing that those online noticed.
"The problem wasn't that he was taking girls. The problem was that he was taking 𝘮𝘺 girls," wrote Maryland attorney Joe Dudek on Bluesky.
"Omg. Virginia was a minor recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell to be raped and trafficked by Jeff Epstein to his rich friends, including Prince Andrew. To Donald Trump she is a piece of property," wrote law school professor Jen Taub.
Listen to the clip below: