President Donald Trump has broken his silence following the shocking decision by King Charles to strip Prince Andrew of his royal titles over his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed sympathy for the royal family, calling the situation “tragic” and “too bad,” even as the controversy around Epstein continues to ripple across global power circles.
Trump Expresses Sympathy
Trump shared his reaction to the British royal scandal, telling reporters, “I mean, it’s a terrible thing that’s happened to the family. That’s been a tragic situation, and it’s too bad. I mean, I feel bad for the family.” His comments come as Buckingham Palace faces intense public scrutiny after King Charles took decisive action against his brother, signaling a major break from royal tradition.
King Charles Takes Action
Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Andrew would lose his titles and be removed from the Royal Lodge due to his long-standing friendship with Epstein. The decision followed Andrew’s controversial settlement with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most outspoken victims who accused him of sexual abuse. “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,” the palace said.
Scandal Resurfaces With Emails
Andrew’s ties to Epstein have been under scrutiny for years, but public outrage reignited after The Mail on Sunday and The Sun on Sunday revealed a damning 2011 email from Andrew to Epstein. “It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it,” he allegedly wrote, despite previously claiming to have ended their friendship in 2010. The revelation deepened questions about Andrew’s credibility, especially following his disastrous BBC interview in 2019.
Giuffre Family Celebrates Decision
Virginia Giuffre’s family hailed King Charles’s move as a “victory” for survivors. “Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage,” her siblings said. They praised her relentless pursuit of accountability, calling her actions a symbol of hope for “countless other survivors like her.”
Calls for U.S. Accountability
Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, urged President Trump to follow King Charles’s example by releasing the long-awaited Epstein legal files. “President Trump needs to put his big boy pants on and follow suit,” Roberts told CNN. “We need to back our government in a corner where their hands are tied to this, and they have to come forward and do the right thing.”
Trump and Epstein’s Friendship
Trump and Epstein maintained a close friendship for years. “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump said in 2002, according to New York Magazine. “He’s a lot of fun to be with… it is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” Epstein once claimed in tapes obtained by the Daily Beast: “I was Donald’s closest friend for 10 years.” However, the friendship reportedly soured after Epstein “stole” Trump’s staff, including Giuffre, who worked at Mar-a-Lago when she was 17.
Trump Rejects Epstein File Demands
Despite mounting public pressure, Trump has dismissed renewed calls to release Epstein-related files. “This is a Democrat hoax that never ends,” he said in September. “Thousands of pages of documents have been given, but it is really a Democrat hoax because they are trying to get people to talk about something that is totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been president.”