Fact Check: Did Trump order military flyover to 'silence' Epstein survivors during press conference?

WASHINGTON, DC: Jeffrey Epstein survivors gathered outside the US Capitol on Wednesday, September 3, to share emotional stories of abuse at the hands of the disgraced financier and his aide, Ghislaine Maxwell, pressuring lawmakers to back the release of all of the files in the Department of Justice's investigation.

Following this, posts claiming that President Donald Trump had ordered a loud military flyover to drown out the victims' comments started circulating on social media. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Trump ordered a military flyover to 'silence' Epstein survivors

Following Wednesday's rally, an X (formerly Twitter) user alleged, "Trump spends oodles of $$ for an absurd military flyover to silence victims of Epstein’s and Maxwell’s awful crimes as he protects the perpetrators of those crimes."

Similarly, another X user claimed, "Did you know Donald Trump ordered a military flyover of DC while more than a hundred Epstein survivors are holding a press conference today?"

"Trump had 8 fighter jets flyover the #Epstein survivor conference, interrupting them mid speech. #opdeatheaters," one more wrote on X.

Yet another post read, "JUST NOW: Trump just had military do flyover in DC during @RoKhanna and @RepThomasMassie’s Press Conference with Epstein Survivors. Intimidation?"

Fact Check: Trump ordered military flyover to mark Polish president's visit

The claims are false, as Donald Trump ordered the military flyover to mark a visit by Polish President Karol Nawrocki and not to drown out the victims' comments.

A White House official informed Snopes that the commander-in-chief had ordered the ceremonial flyover to mark Nawrocki's visit.

"It was at POTUS' direction," the official said, adding that the flyover was a tribute to a Polish fighter pilot who died in an August crash.

Moreover, it was Nawrocki's first trip overseas since taking office last month.

A day before, AlertDC's X account alerted followers of the upcoming event in the sky.

"[AlertDC] The U.S. Military will conduct a flyover in the National Capital Region (NCR) over The White House on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 11:10AM," the post read.

Epstein accusers put pressure on Congress to release the files

Jeffrey Epstein's accusers have pressured lawmakers to back the release of all of the files in the DOJ's years-long investigation into the disgraced financier.

Marina Lacerda, one of the accusers who identified herself as "Minor Victim 1" in Epstein's 2019 federal indictment in New York, said on Wednesday, "I was one of dozens of girls that I personally know who were forced into Jeffrey’s mansion on 9 East 71st St. in New York City when we were just kids."

"Today is the first time that I ever speak publicly about what happened to me," she added.

Lacerda mentioned, "I was only 14 years old when I met Jeffrey."

Choking up at times, she added, "It was the summer of high school. I was working three jobs to try to support my mom and my sister when a friend of mine in the neighborhood told me that I could make $300 to give another guy a massage."

"It went from a dream job to the worst nightmare," Lacerda said.

Another Epstein accuser, Annie Farmer, stated that she was 16 when she was flown to New Mexico to spend a weekend with Epstein and Maxwell and was assaulted, back in 1996.

"I am now 46 years old; 30 years later, we still do not know why that report wasn’t properly investigated, or why Epstein and his associates were allowed to harm hundreds, if not thousands, of other girls and young women," she said.

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