White House Won’t Confirm 2006 Trump–Epstein Police Call, Defends Lutnick and Leaves Maxwell Clemency Open
The White House would not confirm reports that President Trump called Palm Beach police about Jeffrey Epstein in 2006, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying the call “may or may not have happened” but that, if accurate, it would corroborate Trump’s claim he cut ties with Epstein. Leavitt also declined to rule out granting Ghislaine Maxwell clemency in exchange for testimony and said she had not recently discussed the matter with the president, while publicly defending Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — who admitted meeting Epstein twice after his 2008 conviction — as “a very important member” of Trump’s team with the president’s full support.
📌 Key Facts
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she does not know whether a reported 2006 call by Donald Trump to Palm Beach police about Jeffrey Epstein occurred, calling it something that "may or may not have happened," while also saying that if the call happened as described in a newly released FBI document it would "corroborate" Trump's longtime claim that he cut ties with Epstein and did nothing wrong.
- Leavitt declined to rule out granting Ghislaine Maxwell clemency in exchange for testimony in a House probe and said she had not recently discussed the issue with the president.
- Maxwell's lawyer has said she would "fully and honestly" cooperate with a House investigation if Trump granted her clemency; that prospect has drawn bipartisan resistance and remains formally unanswered by the White House.
- Leavitt publicly backed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, saying he "remains a very important member of President Trump's team" and that Trump "fully supports" him after Lutnick admitted under Senate questioning that he met Epstein twice after Epstein's 2008 conviction, contradicting his prior statements.
- These developments were reported by PBS News in coverage of the White House press briefing and related statements.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 10, 2026
9:25 PM
WATCH: White House won't confirm whether Trump called Palm Beach sheriff about Epstein
New information:
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she does not know whether Trump’s reported 2006 call to Palm Beach police about Epstein occurred, calling it something that 'may or may not have happened in 2006.'
- Leavitt nonetheless claimed that, if the call happened as described in the newly released FBI document, it 'corroborates' Trump’s long‑standing claim that he cut ties with Epstein and did nothing wrong himself.
- Asked whether Trump would offer Ghislaine Maxwell clemency in exchange for testimony in a House probe, Leavitt declined to rule it out and said she had not recently discussed the issue with the president.
- Leavitt publicly backed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, saying he 'remains a very important member of President Trump's team' and that Trump 'fully supports' him, after Lutnick admitted under Senate questioning that he met Epstein twice after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, contradicting his prior statements.
- Maxwell’s lawyer has said she would 'fully and honestly' cooperate with a House investigation if Trump granted her clemency, an offer that has drawn bipartisan resistance but remains formally unanswered by the White House.