Trump defends ‘big boy’ Clinton over Epstein files photos

“I think it's terrible”

Clinton is seen in numerous images that were recently released by the Department of Justice.

Thousands of new documents related to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released on Friday.

Trump commented on the newly released files for the first time and was asked by the media about the images of the 42nd US president.

“I think it's terrible”, Trump said. “I like Bill Clinton… and I hate to see photos come out of him”, he added.

“I've always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I've been nice to him, he's been nice to me. I hate to see photos come out of him, but this is what the Democrats, mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans, are asking for.”

“Everybody was friendly with this guy [Epstein], either friendly or not friendly. He was all over Palm Beach and other places… and Bill Clinton was a friend of his, but everybody was”, Trump added.

The POTUS said that Clinton is a “big boy” and that “he can handle it”, while further adding that “you probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago.”

However, the US president added that last week’s release of new Epstein files is taking away from his party’s success.

According to Trump, “it is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has”.

A spokesman for Clinton, in a statement on Monday called for President Trump to “release any remaining materials referring to mentioning or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton”.

Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said the materials released so far “makes it clear someone or something is being protected”, but said that Clinton doesn't need such protection.

Former president Clinton has said that he regrets meeting Epstein and denies any wrongdoing in connection with the paedophile financier, who committed suicide in his jail cell.