Former President Donald Trump reportedly contacted the Palm Beach police in the mid-2000s to express gratitude for their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. He allegedly urged them to zero in on Ghislaine Maxwell, describing her as “evil,” according to an FBI document summarizing an interview with a past local police chief.
“Mr. Trump called the PBPD and stated, ‘I’m glad you stopped him, we all knew he was doing this,'” the FBI paperwork from a 2019 interview with former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter reveals. However, a Justice Department spokesperson contended there doesn’t seem to be any evidence supporting the claim that Trump had reached out to law enforcement two decades prior.
Reiter, who was chief from 2001 to 2009, had his name redacted in the documents released by the Department of Justice, but this was confirmed by the agency. Trump himself was questioned by the FBI in 2019, having made the call about Epstein in July 2006.
Florida authorities initiated an investigation into Epstein in 2005 when a 14-year-old girl tipped them off regarding alleged sexual abuse by him. This led them to uncover other accusations against Epstein, bringing Reiter into the fold.
During their discussions, Reiter recalled Trump labeling Maxwell a “bad person” and insisting that law enforcement should focus on her activities. The FBI reports quote Trump as saying New Yorkers found Epstein to be repulsive and confirming he distanced himself from Epstein during their past interactions.
Fox News Digital reached out to Reiter, along with his crisis management firm, but he declined to comment. Moreover, the recent FBI documents form part of a large collection of files released following Trump signing the Epstein File Transparency Act in late 2025.
Interestingly, Epstein, known for his connections with influential figures, was arrested in 2019 on new sex trafficking charges. His subsequent death by suicide while incarcerated brought further scrutiny to his past.
Reiter’s meeting with the FBI occurred shortly after Epstein’s death, which adds another layer of complexity to the timeline. Trump has repeatedly claimed he canceled his association with Epstein during the early 2000s, and various documents confirm this narrative.
As the Justice Department continues to release documents related to Epstein and sex offenders, the conversation around Trump, Epstein, and Maxwell shows no signs of fading.
