RFK Jr Caught in Lie About Jeffrey Epstein Flight

Robert F. Kennedy stated in a televised interview on Tuesday that he had flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet twice—weeks after telling Newsweek that he had only taken one flight on the late financier’s aircraft.

The independent 2024 presidential candidate was among a number of high-profile people who in 2021 were named as passengers on Epstein’s jet, which was often used to transport guests to the financier’s private Caribbean island, Little Saint James.

Epstein’s luxury Boeing 727 was derisively referred to as the “Lolita Express” by a number of media outlets following allegations that it was used to fly underage girls to some of the multi-millionaire’s properties.

Following Epstein’s death in jail in 2019, which was ruled a suicide, lists have been shared on social media purporting to show the public figures who had visited the island, which is located east of Puerto Rico in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Epstein scandal also continues to be a talking point in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. In recent years, several high-profile names have been added to the list of Epstein’s guests by social media users who have falsely targeted celebrities and politicians as part of an apparent campaign to link them to Epstein’s crimes. There is no suggestion that those who did fly on the jet were involved in any illegal activity.

On Tuesday’s installment of Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, host Jesse Watters said that Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, is blocking the release of flight logs from Epstein’s jet. Several minutes after the discussion, Watters welcomed Kennedy onto his show to discuss unrelated matters.

What RFK Jr Told Fox News

As the topics switched during the interview, Watters asked Kennedy: “You weren’t ever on Jeffrey Epstein’s jet, were you?”

“I was on Jeffrey Epstein’s jet two times,” Kennedy responded. “I was on it in 1993… I went to Florida with my wife and two children to visit my mom over Easter. My wife had some kind of relationship with [Epstein’s then-partner] Ghislaine Maxwell and they offered us a ride to Palm Beach.”

Kennedy added that “on another occasion I flew again with my family with, I think, four of my children and Mary, my wife, to Rapid City, South Dakota, to go fossil hunting for a weekend. Otherwise, I was never on his jet alone. I’ve been very open about this from the beginning.

“This was in ’93, so it was 30 years ago. It was before anybody knew about Jeffrey Epstein’s nefarious issues. And I agree with you that all of this information should be released and we should get real answers on what happened to Jeffrey Epstein and any of the high-level political people that he was involved with, all of that should be open to the public. It should be absolutely transparent.

“And I don’t see why any of those records would have any redactions in them. Why would we be hiding that from the American public?”

JUST IN: Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he has been on Jeffrey Epstein’s jet two times.

At this point we just need a list of people who *haven’t* been on Epstein’s jet.

“I was on Jeffrey Epstein’s jet two times. I was on it in 1993, and I was on it when I… pic.twitter.com/BpnVgkfKKt

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 6, 2023

What RFK Jr Told Newsweek

Kennedy’s recollection stands at odds with an emailed statement shared on his behalf with Newsweek on October 31, in which a spokesperson for the former Democrat stated that he had only “flown one time on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane.”

The occasion that Kennedy’s spokesperson informed Newsweek about was the flight in 1993 from New York City to Palm Beach, Florida, when he visited his mother for Easter.

“Mary, Kennedy’s wife, and two of their kids were on the flight,” the representative told Newsweek. “Mary knew Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who learned that they were going to Palm Beach for Easter and offered their family a ride.”

The spokesperson added that the private jet trip was made possible by Kennedy’s then-partner, Mary Richardson Kennedy, who was friendly with Maxwell. Kennedy separated from his first wife, Emily Black, in 1992; their divorce was finalized in 1994, the same year that he married Richardson Kennedy. Kennedy filed for divorce in 2010 from Richardson Kennedy, who died in 2012. Kennedy has been married to Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines since 2014.

In June 2022, Maxwell received a 20-year jail sentence for trafficking girls for Epstein to abuse.

Updated Statement to Newsweek

When contacted by Newsweek on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Kennedy shared an updated statement that read: “Mr. Kennedy flew two times on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane.

“The first time was in 1993 from NYC to Palm Beach to visit RFK, Jr.’s mom for Easter. His wife Mary and two children accompanied him on the flight. Mary knew Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell because they served on a food allergy charity together. Maxwell learned that they were going to Palm Beach for Easter and offered their family a ride.

“The second time in the mid-90s, Mr. Epstein flew Mr. Kennedy, his wife Mary, and five children to South Dakota for a fossil-hunting trip.”

“Those trips took place approximately 30 years ago, long before Mr. Epstein’s criminal behavior was public knowledge,” the rep added. “Those charges became public for the first time in 2006.

“Mr. Kennedy adds his voice to those demanding clarity about all of Mr. Epstein’s nefarious activities including the identities of powerful partners or shady entities who may have enabled or participated in his crimes.

“Mr. Kennedy supports the release of Epstein’s business and personal records including unredacted flight logs, which might contribute to the public’s understanding of Mr. Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors and his suspicious death.”

Who Flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Lolita Express’ Plane?

• Donald J. Trump
• Bill Clinton
• Kevin Spacey
• Chris Tucker
• Bill Gates
• Prince Andrew
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• Itzhak Perlman
• John Glenn
• George Mitchell

All of the above names were reported by the Associated Press and CNN. There is no suggestion that those who flew on the jet were involved in any illegal activity.

Virginia Giuffre alleged that she was abused by Prince Andrew and claimed that Maxwell flew her around the world when she was 17 and 18 for sexual encounters with billionaires, politicians, royals and heads of state. Andrew, who settled out of court with Giuffre in 2022, has denied all of the claims made against him.

Supporters of Donald Trump, one of Kennedy’s likely 2024 opponents, have also sought to highlight the Epstein scandal to contrast it with the former president’s current legal predicament. In August, for example, MAGA loyalist Kari Lake posted on X, formerly Twitter: “It’s been 3 years, almost to the day, since Jeffrey Epstein ‘killed himself.’ Not a single one of his clients has been indicted for heinous crimes against children. Yet, President Trump was just indicted for the 4th time. Justice is dead in America.”

Moreover, Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Donald Trump, sought in February to distance the former president from statements that he had flown on Epstein’s jet.

While making an appearance on Lindell TV, Stone said Trump only once visited Epstein’s residence in Palm Beach, and added that he “told the traveling security guard, ‘Wow, what a nice guy Jeffrey Epstein is, letting all the kids in the neighborhood swim in his pool.”

“Reportedly, Trump left the Epstein residence after only 15 minutes because he was uncomfortable with the mix of younger women and the limited number of men,” Stone went on.

“But now I see these smears being recycled all over the internet,” Stone said. “And I hate to say this, but they are courtesy of supporters of Governor Ron DeSantis.”

Although Stone tried to downplay the ties between the two, for years they ran in similar social circles. Newsweek previously reported that records show Trump boarded Epstein’s plane seven times, though no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented.

Over the years, Trump has distanced himself from Epstein. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, the then-president said he knew Epstein only because “everybody in Palm Beach” did.

“I had a falling out with him. I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you,” he said.

But earlier on, he offered more complimentary words toward his former friend.

“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Trump told New York magazine in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it—Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”