"Models were their shared obsession"

No one knows more about the relationship between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein than journalist Michael Wolff. In an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he reveals what further revelations can be expected.

American journalist Michael Wolff, known for his books on Donald Trump, speaks extensively about the complex and dark relationship between the American president and Jeffrey Epstein, the discredited millionaire who committed suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking of minors.

Wolff conducted dozens of hours of interviews with Epstein between 2015 and 2017, following his first conviction for prostitution with minors. In them, Epstein speaks openly about his close, long-standing friendship with Trump — a relationship that, Wolff says, was not taken seriously by the mainstream media, which was wary due to the sensitive nature of the issue and the presence of conspiracy theories.

According to Wolff, Epstein and Trump were more than just friends – they shared a common obsession: young women, especially models. This connection was, according to the journalist, essential to both of their lives, a lifestyle centered on power, money and young women that later led Epstein to ruin – and may even illuminate the darker sides of Trump's character.

Epstein described Trump as “without any scruples,” which is significant, considering that Epstein himself was not known for his high morals. According to Wolff, the material he possesses – over 100 hours of recordings – does not contain bombastic statements, but rather provides a profound insight into the nature and depth of the Trump-Epstein relationship and their shared obsessions. In this context, the “models” – often teenage girls in the 1980s and 1990s – were a symbol of the culture of male power at the time.

The journalist portrays Epstein as a complex figure, much more than just a sex offender: a man with a vast network and unusual influence over the rich and powerful. The allegations that he blackmailed these people, Wolff calls absurd – they came to him willingly, for the contacts, the atmosphere and the opportunities for power he offered them.

During his time at Epstein's luxurious Manhattan mansion, Wolff says he met many of the big figures of American public life, including Bill Gates and powerful politicians, but he doesn't give any new names. Epstein's connection to Steve Bannon, another key figure in Trump's orbit, was also deep. According to Wolff, after Epstein, Bannon was the most important source for understanding Trump, writes A2 CNN.

Although parts of these interviews were published in collaboration with The Daily Beast before the last presidential election, Wolff says that no one was interested in publishing them in full at the time - neither the media nor the publishing houses. Today, with the reopening of public interest and investigations involving Trump himself, the journalist is looking for the best way to release these materials, whether in the form of a book or through another platform.

In the interview, Wolff also highlights Trump's extreme cynicism: a figure who brought his unbridled style from the business world to politics, without changing anything in his way of life. According to him, Trump is a master of political survival and has an uncanny ability to avoid any scandal, through outright denials and attacks on others - even Barack Obama, while his own political base now demands more answers about the connection with Epstein.

However, Wolff does not rule out the possibility that the Epstein case could also involve other senior political figures – including Democrats – although he points out that Trump's relationship with Epstein was much longer and closer than Bill Clinton's.

According to FAZ, the story remains open and potentially explosive. The question remains: will this be the material that will finally sink Trump politically, or will he weather this storm like he has with others? Wolff has no answers, but remains determined that this story must be told to the end. (A2 Televizion)