Ex-police chief said Trump told him in 2006 'everyone' knew of Epstein's behaviour

BBC News - WorldEN 3 min read 100% complete February 10, 2026 at 09:48 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

A newly released FBI document details a 2019 interview with a former Palm Beach police chief who alleges that Donald Trump called him in July 2006 during an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The former chief, identified as Michael Reiter, claims Trump told him "everyone" knew about Epstein's behavior and that he had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Reiter also stated that Trump identified Ghislaine Maxwell as Epstein's "operative" and urged police to focus on her. The call allegedly occurred when Palm Beach police were investigating Epstein for the alleged sexual exploitation of underage girls, a case later handled by federal prosecutors. Trump has previously stated he was unaware of Epstein's crimes and hadn't spoken to him in years.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States Department of Justice 30% Miami Herald 30% Mar-a-Lago 30% Florida ×240% Palm Beach ×350% Federal Bureau of Investigation ×260% Ghislaine Maxwell ×260% Michael Reiter ×470% Donald Trump ×1090% Jeffrey Epstein ×995%

Keywords

jeffrey epstein 100% donald trump 100% sexual exploitation 80% fbi investigation 70% palm beach police 70% ghislaine maxwell 60% underage girls 60% sex trafficking 50% criminal conviction 50%