Fact Check: Did Eric Trump claim he didn’t know Epstein’s first name and dismiss ties to his father?

WASHINGTON, DC: As chatter around the Jeffrey Epstein files continues to stir online, renewed rumors are fueling speculation involving Eric Trump.

A viral claim reports Eric denied knowing the first name of the disgraced financier and dismissed allegations linking his father, President Donald Trump, to the case as false.

While the POTUS' past ties to Epstein have long sparked debate, it’s Eric's supposed statement that’s now gaining traction. But did Eric really make that claim? Let’s find out.

Claim: Eric Trump said he doesn't know the first name of Jeffrey Epstein

A post shared by Facebook user William Hapeman has gone viral after he posted a screenshot that appeared to show a Fox News chyron quoting Eric Trump, son of President Donald Trump. The chyron read, "I don't even know Epstein's first name, so saying my dad was close to Jeffrey is a lie."

This alleged quote has been circulating online since August 2025, with the same screenshot appearing across other platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads. Many users have interpreted the post as a factual report, despite the lack of official confirmation.

As of this writing, the Facebook post has received over 500 comments, 2,700 reactions, and more than 800 shares. Responses have been mixed.

One user wrote, "And he's the smart one." Another added, "He lies just like his daddy." A more skeptical commenter said, "This is probably fake," while someone else mocked the claim writing, "Can't even get the lie straight, lol."

Fact check: Screenshot featuring Eric Trump is fake

While the screenshot of Eric Trump’s supposed quote has been widely shared and interpreted in various ways, there is no evidence that Eric Trump actually said to Fox News, “I don’t even know Epstein’s first name, so saying my dad was close to Jeffrey is a lie.” 

In reality, the rumor appears to have originated from a satirical Facebook page called "Mrs Putin," which openly identifies itself as a "Satire/Parody" account in its About section.

The Mrs Putin page has a known history of publishing fabricated content designed to generate shares and comments. 

Beyond the dubious source, the image itself contains several clear indicators that raise questions about its authenticity. 

For instance, the Fox News logo is misspelled as "Fox Mews," and other text elements include errors like "chanel" instead of channel, "braking news" instead of breaking news, and “liver” instead of live.

Additionally, the stock ticker displayed “NADSAQ”, a misspelling of the legitimate NASDAQ stock exchange, further reinforcing that the image was intended as satire. 

To top it off, the screenshot credits the report to a clearly fake name, "Hisda D Folked DeChilds," an inappropriate pun that no legitimate journalist would use.

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.