Donald Trump has denied ever knowing Prince Andrew despite meeting him publicly on several occasions, with picture evidence to prove it. The two were also both known associates of Jeffrey Epstein.
The US president was asked about Andrew at the US ambassador’s residence in London yesterday. When asked about him stepping down from his royal duties following his nightmare BBC interview with Emily Maitlis, Trump said: ‘I don’t know Prince Andrew, but that’s a tough story, it’s a very tough story.’
The two were pictured together in June this year. In fact, he attended business meetings with the Prime Minister and Prince Andrew during his official UK visit during which time he had lunch with the Queen and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.
‘When we interviewed [Trump ]in July 2018, he told us he played 18 holes of golf with Andrew (and he insisted he won too),’ Tom Newton-Dunn, the Sun’s political editor, said.
They have also been publicly photographed together in Palm Beach, Florida at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in 2000 – a known favourite of Jeffrey Epstein.
Now seemingly wanting to distance himself from the Epstein scandal, Trump has previously referred to the sex-trafficker as a ‘terrific guy’. In 2002, he told New York Magazine ‘I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. 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.’
Trump himself has been accused of sexual assault on numerous occasions, claims which he denies.
His contradictory comments come as the pressure continues to pile on Andrew to co-operate with the FBI following Virginia Giuffre’s Panorama interview on Monday. According to the BBC, there are six women who want Andrew to give evidence in their cases against Epstein. He is yet to co-operate but has said he will speak to the ‘appropriate law enforcement’ if necessary.
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