Who was Virginia Giuffre and why Trump said Epstein 'stole' her from Mar-a-Lago

Trump said Epstein "stole" Virginia Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago, where she worked, again claiming he banned Epstein for inappropriate conduct with staff.

Updated on: Jul 30, 2025, 01:19:34 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday that Jeffrey Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre from his Palm Beach, Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

Virginia Giuffre (L, Photo: File) and Trump (AFP). (File & AFP)

Giuffre, one of the most prominent survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, was trafficked by the duo as a teenager. Before that, she worked at President Trump's Florida residence-cum-resort.

Trump claims that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after finding out that he was making inappropriate advances to young Mar-a-Lago employees. On Tuesday, Trump said Giuffre, who was working at the spa in Mar-a-Lago in the mid 2000s, was one of the victims Jeffrey Epstein allegedly 'stole' from the Trump-owned res

Giuffre, who died by suicide at the age of 41, famously also accused Prince Andrew, along with Epstein and Maxwell, of sexually abusing her. They reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022, leading to Giuffre dropping the case against Prince Andrew.

"Everyone knows the people that were taken," Trump said. "And it was the concept of taking people that work for me is bad. But that story's been pretty well out there. And the answer is yes, they were," Trump said, adding that many people who worked for him in the spa were also taken.

"Mr. President, did one of those stolen persons, did that include Virginia Gifford?" the reporter then asks Trump.

Also read: On cam: Trump hints at pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell after aide meets Epstein partner in jail?

"I think she worked at the spa," Trump said. "I think that was one of the people. He stole her. And by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know. None whatsoever."

Virginia Giuffre worked at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago as a spa attendant starting in mid-2000, when she was about 16 or 17 years old. This position was obtained with help from her father who was employed there as a maintenance manager.

It was her job before she was recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell to work for Epstein. Giuffre met Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago while working as a spa locker room attendant in the summer of mid-2000.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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