Epstein 'stole' Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago spa, Trump says

ANDREW FEINBERG IN WASHINGTON DC

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Donald Trump says he ended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein because the disgraced financier "stole" young women working at his Mar-a-Lago spa too many times - including a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre.

Speaking aboard Air Force One yesterday while returning from his five-day combination golf holiday and tariff summit in Scotland, Mr Trump was asked about comments he had made over the weekend suggesting that he had banned the paedophile power-player from his Palm Beach club for hiring away employees.

He confirmed that Epstein "took people that work for me" and did so again despite being admonished not to poach Mar-a-Lago workers by Mr Trump. "He took people that work for me, and I told him, don't do it any more. And he did it. I said, stay the hell out of here," he said.

Pressed further on whether the workers poached by Epstein included Giuffre, then a Mar-a-Lago pool locker-room attendant whose groundskeeper dad got her a job there, Mr Trump confirmed she was among those who were poached.

"I told him, I said, listen, we don't want you taking our people, whether it was spa or not spa. I don't want him taking people.

And he was fine. And then, not too long after that, he did it again. And I said, out of here," he said, describing Epstein as having "stolen" his spa workers.