The White House has been forced to downplay reports Donald Trump’s name appears in justice department files about convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Several US media outlets have reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared in some documents related to the Epstein case.
The White House denies this, saying it is another example of “fake news stories”.
The Wall Street Journal, the first to report the claim, said Trump was also told at the meeting that many other high-profile people were named.
It is not clear in what context Trump’s name appeared in the files, and the newspaper added President Trump’s name appearing does not prove any wrongdoing.
The Trump administration has been under growing pressure to release more information about Epstein, with whom the president had previously been friendly with.
While on the presidential campaign trail last year, Trump had also promised to released the files about the well-connected sex offender.
It comes as a Florida judge rejected a request from the justice department to unseal court documents relating to Epstein.
The Trump administration had filed a motion to unseal the grand jury transcripts in a bid to release more information on the case, but the judge found the request did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that meant they should be made public.
A similar request is still awaiting a decision in New York.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but died by suicide in his cell in New York City about a month after he was arrested.
His former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was also charged with helping him abuse teenage girls.
Maxwell was later convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking, conspiracy and transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity.
Her crimes have been back in the spotlight this week as congress prepares to subpoena testimony from her, as pressure mounts on Trump and the Department of Justice to release information about Epstein’s crimes.
Maxwell has always maintained her innocence.
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