PRESIDENT TRUMP is hoping to leave questions about his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case in the rearview mirror as he begins his weekend trip to Scotland, while Democrats lean into the controversy and seek to leverage it for political gain.
Trump will open his third golf course in Scotland this weekend, with the newest to be named after his late mother. The president will also meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "refine" a trade deal with the U.S., while seeking to further negotiations on a trade deal with the the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
But the political frenzy in Washington has shown no signs of abating, driven by Trump's demands that Republicans drop the issue, the Justice Department's new interest in Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, subpoenas from Congress, and Democratic efforts to stoke an issue they hope will split Trump's MAGA base.
"The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America, results of which many are saying is the BEST six months in Presidential history," Trump posted Friday on Truth Social, hitting "yet another Democrat CON JOB."
Trump has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release grand jury transcripts, but a judge ruled they must remain sealed.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a Thursday interview with CBS News' Major Garrett that the Epstein files are "not a hoax."
"They are real victims here, but that's part of a delicate — the balance that's being done here is, I tried to explain in my press conference this week, man, we want full disclosure," Johnson added. "If I had — if I had these things in my possession, I would have put them out a long time ago, but I would also have been very careful to protect the innocent," the Speaker added.
Todd Blanche, the No. 2 Department of Justice (DOJ) official, has taken the unusual step of interviewing Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison on sex-trafficking charges.
Maxwell's attorney said she answered hours of questions on Thursday and thanked the government for trying to "uncover the truth."
Blanche continued the interview on Friday, and has said he'll share more information "at the appropriate time."
Trump was asked Friday if he'd consider a pardon for Maxwell if she delivers new information on the case.
"I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about," he said.
Maxwell's attorney David Markus responded outside the federal courthouse where the interview took place:
"We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet. The president this morning said he had the power to do so and we hope he exercises that power in the right and just way."
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed testimony from Maxwell and will interview her next month.
Trump is eager to move on.
"People should really focus on how well the country is doing," he told reporters before boarding a plane to Scotland.
"I have nothing to do with this guy," he added.
The media is busy digging up old interactions between Trump and Epstein, who ran in similar social circles until Trump says he cut off contact with the disgraced financier for being a "creep."
Trump is suing The Wall Street Journal over a story saying he sent a risqué birthday card to Epstein. The Journal now reports that many other high-profile individuals also contributed to a birthday album for Epstein, including former President Clinton, designer Vera Wang, and billionaires Leon Black and Les Wexner.
The House approved subpoenas to compel testimony from Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as several other senior Democrats from the Obama and Biden administrations.
A separate Journal story said Trump was informed by Bondi earlier this year that his name was one of many in the Epstein files.
"You ought to be speaking to Bill Clinton who went to the island 28 times," Trump told reporters on Friday. "I never went to the island."
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