The tech billionaire and owner of Tesla and Starlink, Elon Musk, has accused United States President Donald Trump of being one of the names in the still-sealed Epstein files, and claims that this is the real reason key documents are still being withheld from the public.In January 2024, many of the so-called “Epstein files” compiled by US federal investigators were released to the public. However, some remained sealed.
Trump’s presidency began with a strong boost from Musk, who donated large sums to Trump’s presidential campaign and was appointed to lead a newly formed federal agency aimed at streamlining government operations, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But that relationship fractured after Musk resigned from the role in May 2025, following mounting public backlash over fiscal policies and a sharp decline in Tesla’s stock.
Since then, Musk has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of Trump, calling his “One Big Beautiful Bill” a “disgusting abomination” for increasing the national debt and eliminating electric vehicle subsidies, and, now, accusing him of links to Epstein. Advertisement
Here’s what we know about the Epstein files and Musk’s accusations.
What are the Epstein files?
The “Epstein files” are a collection of documents compiled by US federal authorities during investigations into the activities of Jeffrey Epstein, the now-deceased financier and convicted sex offender.
These files include flight logs, contact lists, court records and other materials documenting his activities and associations with high-profile individuals.
The first major release of the documents took place in January 2024, when a federal judge ordered the unsealing of records from a 2015 defamation lawsuit against Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In February 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) followed up with an official declassification of additional documents, many of which had already leaked …