President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that he didn’t know Prince Andrew, Duke of York, even though photos show they’ve known each other since at least 2000.
During a press conference at the NATO summit in London, a reporter asked Trump for his thoughts on Prince Andrew stepping down from his royal duties due to backlash over his longtime friendship with (now-deceased) convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The prince has also been accused of engaging in sex acts with a minor, who alleges she was ordered to do so by Epstein.
“I don’t know Prince Andrew, but that’s a tough story, it’s a very tough story,” Trump replied. “I don’t know him.”
But photos of the two men rubbing shoulders at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort on February 12, 2000 (one of which is pictured above) suggest otherwise, as do multiple photos of them together as recently as this June during Trump’s state visit to the U.K.
It’s not the first time Trump has attempted to distance himself from friends and associates mired in scandal, including Epstein, despite photos and even his own words blatantly contradicting his denials.
Shortly after Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors in July, Trump claimed he “wasn’t a fan” of the now-dead billionaire even though he’d told New York Magazine in 2002 that Epstein was a “terrific guy” who also liked women “on the younger side.”
Additionally, Trump took a photo with Epstein at Mar-A-Lago–which was coincidentally taken on the same day as his photo with Prince Andrew.
Watch Trump during Tuesday’s press conference below:
Trump: "I don't know Prince Andrew" pic.twitter.com/x45phUTnpR
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) December 3, 2019
