Maggie Haberman Teases Epstein Questions Trump Hopes to Avoid at Global Presser: ‘We Will See’

CNN commentator and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman told CNN anchor Jake Tapper that President Donald Trump hopes to avoid questions about former pal-turned-deceased sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein during his UK trip, but added “We will see” if that works out for him.

Trump departed the White House on Tuesday for a two-day visit to London that will culminate in a joint press conference on Thursday with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The visit comes in the shadow of British Ambassador to the United States Lord Peter Mandelson’s firing over his ties to Epstein and a summer-long spotlight on Trump and his former pal.

On Tuesday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, Tapper asked Haberman about the Trump “strategy” for dealing with Epstein questions on the trip, and pointed out that the press pool — of which Haberman is a member — has a say in whether it works.

TAPPER: One thing, one topic the President cannot escape in London are questions about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, given the involvement not only of Britain’s Prince Andrew.

But also last week’s firing of the British ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, over revelations of his close relationship to Epstein, which came out by Bloomberg and also that birthday book.

What are you hearing about the White House strategy when it comes to any Epstein questions that might come from our friends from Fleet Street?

HABERMAN: Well, look, I think this gets back to the question that I said earlier about what exactly this press conference looks like. I think this is a question that not only President Trump doesn’t want to continue dealing with, but I think it’s also not a question that Keir Starmer wants to deal with.

This is part of why Mandelson was fired, although certainly not the only reason. Prince Andrew, who was an associate of Jeffrey Epstein’s, is not expected to be at this dinner. And so I think that everybody involved here has some interest in trying to minimize attention to this. We will see if that’s possible over here.

TAPPER: Everybody involved, except for the journalists, of course. Maggie Haberman, thanks so much. Always good to see you.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.

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