Fact Check: Is viral image of Trump with young Ivanka standing next to Jeffrey Epstein real?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: An image featuring President Donald Trump, his daughter Ivanka, and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has once again resurfaced on social media, fueling misinformation.

The picture depicts Trump kissing a young Ivanka on the cheek while Epstein appears in the foreground. 

Claim: Photo of Donald and Ivanka Trump with Jeffrey Epstein resurfaces online

Social media users are sharing an image claiming it proves a close association between Trump, Ivanka, and Epstein. The viral picture shows Trump kissing Ivanka as a child at an event, while Epstein appears to be standing nearby.

A photo circulating widely on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Bluesky shows text reading, “I bet he didn’t think this picture was still around!!! My my my! Mr Trump we want answers!” 

Fact Check: Viral image of Trump, Ivanka, and Jeffrey Epstein is not real

Fact-checkers confirm that the image is a fabricated composite created by merging two unrelated photographs taken years apart.

The authentic image of Trump and Ivanka dates back to October 1993, when the pair attended the grand opening of the Harley-Davidson Cafe in New York City. The photo of Epstein, by contrast, comes from May 2005 at the launch of Radar magazine at a New York hotel.

While the two pictures are genuine separately, they were never taken together and have been digitally altered to create the misleading impression that Epstein was present during Trump’s outing with his daughter.

Interestingly, although the viral image itself is fake, archival photographs confirm that Epstein did attend the 1993 Harley Davidson Cafe launch, meaning he was indeed at the same event as Trump that year, although not in the moment captured by the doctored picture.

Epstein, who was arrested on sex trafficking charges, died in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. His longstanding ties to influential political and business figures have continued to spark controversy and conspiracy theories, often amplified by manipulated photos and misleading posts online.

Conclusion

The viral image showing Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, and Jeffrey Epstein together is fake. It is a digital composite of two unrelated photos from 1993 and 2005. While Epstein and Trump did cross paths on several occasions, this particular photograph is not genuine.

Viewers should be cautious about misleading visuals circulating online and verify images through credible fact-checking sources before sharing them.