Donald Trump expressed sympathy for the Royal Family following the removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s titles. During a press briefing on Air Force One, the US president commented on the King’s decision to strip his brother of his peerages due to new revelations about his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump described the situation as tragic, expressing his sadness for the family. Andrew lost his Prince and Duke of York titles after Virginia Giuffre’s memoir posthumously accused him of sexual assault. Despite Andrew denying the allegations and any wrongdoing, the case was settled out of court for an estimated £12 million.
Giuffre, who passed away recently, alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell as a teenager, claiming she was forced to engage in sexual activities with Andrew on multiple occasions. Her family supported the King’s choice to revoke Andrew’s titles, praising Giuffre’s bravery for standing up against a British prince.
Trump, who also had connections to Epstein, faced criticism for downplaying their association after Epstein’s death. Giuffre’s brother urged Trump to release legal documents related to Epstein, aligning with the King’s actions. Trump and Epstein had a longstanding friendship, with Trump once praising Epstein in public statements.
Despite mounting pressure for transparency on the Epstein issue, Trump dismissed it as a “Democrat hoax,” attributing it to political motives. He emphasized the success of his presidency and deemed the focus on Epstein as irrelevant to the nation’s achievements.