Newly released US Department of Justice (DOJ) documents indicate that former US President Donald Trump was listed as a passenger on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet on at least eight occasions between 1993 and 1996.

An email from an assistant US attorney, dated January 7, 2020, stated, “Donald Trump travelled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware).” The email was part of records released this week, comprising over 30,000 pages related to the Epstein case.

While the DOJ acknowledges the flight records exist, they emphasize that Trump’s presence on the jet does not imply any wrongdoing. A statement released on Tuesday noted that some released files contain “untrue and sensationalist claims” against the former President, claims which the DOJ believes would have been used against him had they been credible.

The documents reveal Trump travelled with individuals including Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric. On one flight in 1993, Trump and Epstein were reportedly the only two passengers. The email also mentions flights with “women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.”

Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Epstein, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for her role in sex trafficking. Epstein himself died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on related charges.

The DOJ has faced criticism for missing a congressional deadline to release all Epstein-related files, including photos, videos, and investigative materials. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained on Friday that the department is proceeding cautiously to protect the privacy of Epstein’s victims.

“There’s a lot of eyes looking at these, so we want to make sure that when we do produce the materials that we’re producing, we’re protecting every single victim,” Blanche stated.

A handwritten flight log released in February lists Trump and his son Eric as passengers on a flight from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) in Florida to Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey on August 13, 1995, alongside the initials believed to represent Epstein and Maxwell.

Despite the extensive release, the DOJ indicates that more files are still to be made public in the coming weeks.

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