By House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, startled reporters on September 4, 2025, with a claim about President Donald Trump’s past, suggesting he once served as a confidential FBI informant in efforts to expose Jeffrey Epstein. The statement came during an exchange at the U.S. Capitol, where Johnson was asked about Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie’s push to release remaining Department of Justice files related to Epstein.
When pressed by CNN’s Manu Raju about Trump’s description of the Epstein controversy as a “hoax,” Johnson defended him. “I’ve talked with him about this many times. It’s been misrepresented. He’s not saying that what Epstein did is a hoax. It’s a terrible, unspeakable evil. He believes that himself. When he first heard the rumor he kicked [Epstein] out of Mar-a-Lago. He was an FBI informant to try to take this stuff down,” Johnson said.
Speaker Johnson defends Trump calling Epstein matter a “hoax” and says his comments have “been misrepresented.”
Asked if Trump should meet with victims.
“I suspect he probably will.”
Says he doesn’t think discharge petition will succeed — and levels sharp criticism on Massie pic.twitter.com/5GIbZiIJVk
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 4, 2025
The assertion that Trump aided the FBI against Epstein has not been verified. Yet Trump’s past dealings with the bureau are a matter of record, according to multiple reports. A 1981 FBI memo—revealed by BuzzFeed News in 2017—noted his willingness to “fully cooperate,” including granting agents access to his Atlantic City casino during an organized crime probe. A 2016 Washington Post report described Trump welcoming FBI agents to his Manhattan office as he sought to cement his standing as a rising real estate developer. At that time, he also grew close to a bureau informant who worked as his labor consultant, along with FBI agent Walt Stowe, who oversaw the contact.
If Johnson’s claim is accurate, Trump’s involvement would likely date to 2004–2005, coinciding with his public falling-out with Epstein over a $41 million Palm Beach mansion—a dispute reported by the New York Post as a flashpoint in their rivalry. The Palm Beach Post documented that Epstein’s first criminal investigation began in March 2005. Trump has maintained he cut ties in 2000 after an incident at Mar-a-Lago involving Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most visible accusers. Still, journalist Barry Levine has reported Epstein remained a paying member of Mar-a-Lago as late as 2007, well after his initial arrest for sex crimes involving underage girls.
Johnson’s remarks have reignited scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with Epstein and raised new questions about the former president’s collaboration with federal authorities. For now, the public is left waiting to see whether further evidence will substantiate the House Speaker’s startling claim.
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