President Donald Trump sparked confusion and prompted an abrupt interruption on Fox News Friday afternoon as he prepared to depart Washington for Turnberry, Scotland. The president, standing near Marine One, spoke briefly with reporters before boarding his private jet.
When asked what he hoped U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche would achieve in his meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump appeared to make a serious verbal slip by referring to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein as “Jeffrey Summers.”
Trump: They should focus on the fact that Larry Summers , Bill Clinton, and lots of closer friends of Jeffrey Epstein. I had nothing to do with the guy. pic.twitter.com/IZdHKC68Np
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 25, 2025
The comment came as Trump once again tried to shift attention toward others connected to Epstein, insisting that the media should focus on former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
“They should focus on the fact that Barack Hussein Obama led a coup, or they should focus on the fact that Larry Summers from Harvard, that Bill Clinton, who you know very well, and lots of other friends really close friends of Jeffrey Summers should be spoken about, because, you know… Jeffrey Epstein should be spoken about.”
According to The Irish Star, Fox News was carrying the remarks live but cut away moments after the misstatement, with an anchor explaining that the network was moving to a breaking news alert. The sudden interruption tells to the heightened sensitivity surrounding the Epstein case and the administration’s handling of questions about it.
Trump, who has long denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, offered no correction and continued to speak over the noise of the waiting helicopter.
The episode comes amid renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s network and ongoing legal questions surrounding Maxwell, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence for sex trafficking minors. Deputy Attorney General Blanche has reportedly met with her in recent weeks, fueling speculation about what information she might be willing to share.
Lawmakers in Congress have called for more transparency, and some have pushed to unseal additional Epstein-related files. However, the Justice Department maintains there is no “client list” and that all available investigative findings have been disclosed.
New Trump-Epstein photo just dropped, this one featuring James Brown. (via NYT) pic.twitter.com/Nrf43v6O50
— Sam Stein (@samstein) July 25, 2025
Trump has previously faced criticism over his social ties to Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, with photographs and video footage showing them attending the same events and social gatherings.
The president has said he ended his relationship with Epstein long before the financier’s 2019 arrest, and he has repeatedly stated he never visited Epstein’s private island. The resurfacing of these connections, combined with his recent statements, has kept the controversy alive even as Trump insists that other high-profile figures deserve more scrutiny.
As the president boarded his jet for Scotland, reporters continued to shout questions but received no further comment. The broadcast interruption and the lingering confusion over his remarks underscore the political explosiveness of the Epstein issue and its ability to dominate the news cycle. Trump, known for his combative interactions with the press, appeared unfazed by the fallout as he departed for meetings overseas.
Trump will be in Scotland from July 25 to 29, 2025, for a visit that combines personal business and diplomatic engagements. He’ll open a new 18‑hole course near Aberdeen named after his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, and spend time at his Turnberry resort.
Trump will hold trade talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and meet Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, aiming to refine a U.S.–UK trade deal and may even meet EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Security operations are extensive, with protests planned across Scottish cities and detailed threat assessments underway
