CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski claims that President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview with him during a phone call on Tuesday, calling the outlet ‘fake news’ before hanging up. The incident occurred as Kaczynski attempted to discuss a report about resurfaced photos depicting Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein. The call reportedly lasted only 30 seconds before Trump cut the conversation short, highlighting his growing frustration with media outlets that have previously scrutinized his personal life and business dealings.
The report, published by CNN, centered on newly uncovered archived video footage and photos portraying the relationship between Trump and Epstein in the 1990s. Kaczynski presented images of Epstein attending Trump’s wedding to Marla Maples in 1993, as well as footage of the two at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show in New York in 1999. Additionally, the report featured photos of Trump and two of his children alongside Epstein at the opening of the Harley Davidson Café in New York, taken by photographer Dafydd Jones in 1993.
These new images, which had not been widely reported before, have reignited interest in Trump’s past association with Epstein, despite Trump’s recent efforts to distance himself from the issue. In 2019, Trump described having a ‘falling out’ with Epstein around 15 years prior, noting that they stopped talking at that time. Epstein was arrested in 2006 on charges of sexually abusing underage girls and again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He ultimately committed suicide in his jail cell in 2019, according to officials, an event that sparked numerous conspiracy theories, including claims that someone killed him to protect powerful individuals on his alleged ‘client list.’
Trump has consistently tried to undermine the significance of the ‘Epstein files,’ calling the investigation a ‘hoax’ and dismissing public interest in the matter. However, the newly surfaced footage has prompted renewed scrutiny, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers demanding greater transparency from the Trump administration. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI released a memo this week confirming that Epstein died by suicide and that there is no ‘client list’ as some had speculated. Despite this, skepticism remains about the administration’s transparency, and there are ongoing calls for the full release of all relevant documents.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung dismissed CNN’s report in a statement, accusing the media of fabricating out-of-context images to ‘disgustingly infer something nefarious.’ Cheung also referenced the ‘Obama Russiagate scandal,’ suggesting that he believes the report is part of a broader pattern of fake news stories concocted by the ‘liberal media.’ This statement further underscores the ongoing partisan divide and the intense scrutiny surrounding Trump’s past and its potential implications for his political future.