One Book Claims that Donald Trump Banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago

Among the many scandals and controversies that have defined Donald Trump's tenure in political life, one that has dogged him throughout that time is his former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump's administration has been coy about whether there's some sort of "list" that would show who exactly Epstein brought on plane rides with him where they would abuse young women.

Trump's friendship with the financier had led many to wonder how much he knew about his former friend's pattern of wrongdoing. Some are also wondering whether he was banned from Mar-a-Lago, Trump's palatial golf course in Florida, before his death. Here's what we know.

In a book published in 2020 called The Grifter's Club: Trump, Mar-a-Lago, and the Selling of the Presidency by Sarah Blaskey, Caitlin Ostroff, Nicholas Nehamas, and Jay Weaver, they reported that Trump had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago more than a decade before his eventual death.

Before his banning, which seems to have happened in the late 2000s, Epstein was reportedly a member of the club in good standing.

The banning occurred months before Epstein pleaded guilty to state criminal charges in Florida, which included paying to rape a 14-year-old girl. It was after a state grand jury had charged him with soliciting prostitution, though.

At the time of Epstein's death, Trump said that the two of them had not spoken for more than 15 years, but declined to offer any additional details about why their friendship ended.

“I’m not a fan of his,” Trump said at the time, although there is a documented history of their friendship, including photos they took together.

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," he continued. "It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

According to the book, Epstein was kicked out of Mar-a-Lago for harassing the daughter of another member of the club.

“The way this person described it, such an act could irreparably harm the Trump brand, leaving Donald no choice but to remove Epstein,” Sarah Blaskey explained, saying that she heard the story from another member of Mar-a-Lago.

“The member lists we saw were essentially spreadsheets,” Reporter Nicholas Nehamas explained, saying that Mar-a-Lago's member lists included Epstein.

“They listed current members, honorary members and former members. Red cells indicate the closed account details for former members. Most closed accounts are labeled ‘Resigned’ and then the date that the membership ended. Epstein’s account says ‘Account closed 10/07.’”

It seems, then, that Trump did ban Epstein from Mar-a-Lago, although it's unclear whether that banning was about Trump's reputation or about his genuine disgust with Epstein's behavior. Either way, it's clear that the two became more distant as Epstein moved into the final chapter of his life.