Joe Scarborough says there are ‘no damning details on Trump’ in newly released Epstein files

WASHINGTON, DC: Joe Scarborough said on Tuesday, December 23, that there is nothing "damning" about Donald Trump in the newly released Epstein Files.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice released a new batch of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and cautioned that some of the materials contained "untrue and sensationalist" claims about the POTUS. 

Joe Scarborough asks if Trump is trying to protect somebody

During Tuesday’s edition of 'Morning Joe' on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough said, "One of the great mysteries to me, and a lot of other people, is that we've had reporting for some time. Donald Trump is not on Epstein's list. There's nothing in there that's really damning about Donald Trump."

Meanwhile, he added, "What are the great mysteries all along in this? Not like what's Donald Trump is hiding or what did he do? It's like why if he is not in these files, which all the reporting says he is not, Why is he so obsessed on blocking access to the files. Is he trying to protect somebody?"

In a statement posted to X, the DOJ said the release included nearly 30,000 pages of records, some of which contained allegations submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 presidential election.

The department said, "Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election." "To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already," the Justice Department added, without specifying which claims it was referring to.

The DOJ said it was releasing the documents "out of our commitment to the law and transparency."

DOJ email details Trump’s flights on Epstein’s private jet

Donald Trump traveled on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet at least eight times during the mid-1990s, according to a newly released email from the Department of Justice.

The January 7, 2020, email from an assistant attorney stated, "Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware)." 

The email further read, "In particular, he is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present. He is listed as having traveled with, among others and at various times, [second wife] Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric."

"On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case. We’ve just finished reviewing the full records (more than 100 pages of very small script) and didn’t want any of this to be a surprise down the road," the email added.

The email provides no evidence that Trump was aware of Epstein’s crimes against women and girls, nor does it indicate any wrongdoing on Trump’s part.

The latest document release, totaling more than 30,000 pages, is part of the Epstein files that the DOJ was legally required to publish in full by December 19.