Virginia Giuffre’s family expresses shock over Trump saying Epstein ‘stole’ her
Jul 31, 2025, 7:58 AM

FILE - Virginia Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
The family of Virginia Giuffre, who was among Jeffrey Epstein鈥檚 most well-known sex trafficking accusers, said that it was shocking to hear President Donald Trump say the disgraced financier 鈥渟tole鈥 Giuffre from him and urged that Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell remain in prison.
Giuffre, who had accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by Epstein, has been a central figure in conspiracy theories tied to the case. She died by suicide this year.
Her family’s statement is the latest development involving Epstein, who took his own life in a New York jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, and the Republican president, who was his one-time friend. Trump denied prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and said he cut off their relationship years ago, but he still faces questions about the case.
Trump, responding to a reporter’s question on Tuesday, said that he got upset with Epstein over his poaching of workers and that Epstein had stolen Giuffre from his Palm Beach, Florida, club.
鈥淚t was shocking to hear President Trump invoke our sister and say that he was aware that Virginia had been 鈥榮tolen鈥 from Mar-a-Lago,鈥 the family’s statement said.
鈥淲e and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this,鈥 it continued.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted the president was responding to a reporter’s question and didn’t bring up Giuffre himself.
鈥淭he fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club for being a creep to his female employees,鈥 she said.
The family’s statement comes shortly after the Justice Department interviewed Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 on sex trafficking and other charges and is serving a 20-year sentence in Tallahassee, Florida. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell in a Florida courthouse, though details about what she said haven’t become public.
Maxwell’s lawyers have said she testified truthfully and answered questions 鈥渁bout 100 different people.” They have said she鈥檚 willing to answer more questions from Congress if she is granted immunity from future prosecution for her testimony and if lawmakers agree to satisfy other conditions.
A message seeking comment about the Giuffre family’s statement was sent to Maxwell’s attorney Thursday.
A Trump administration official said the president is not considering clemency action for Maxwell.
Giuffre said she was approached by Maxwell in 2000 and eventually was hired by her as a masseuse for Epstein. But the couple effectively made her a sexual servant, she said, pressuring her into gratifying not only Epstein but his friends and associates.
Giuffre said she was flown around the world for appointments with men including Prince Andrew while she was 17 and 18 years old.
The men, including Andrew, denied it and assailed Giuffre鈥檚 credibility. She acknowledged changing some key details of her account.
The prince settled with Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed sum, agreeing to make a 鈥渟ubstantial donation鈥 to her survivors鈥 organization.
The American-born Giuffre lived in Australia for years and became an advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in Epstein鈥檚 prolonged downfall.
Her family’s statement said she endured death threats and financial ruin over her cooperation with authorities against Epstein and Maxwell.