Trump claims he doesn't know Prince Andrew despite several photos of them together and a breakfast meeting during state visit in June
President Donald Trump, on Tuesday, denied knowing Prince Andrew despite meeting him earlier this year in June. Trump, during a NATO press conference in London, was asked for his thoughts on the Duke of York stepping down from royal duties, to which he replied that he does not know the royal.
"I don't know Prince Andrew," Trump said and described his links with convicted US pedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a "tough story." Although the president denied knowing Andrew, the Republican was photographed smiling and shaking hands with the 59-year-old at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace during his state visit to London in June this year, the Daily Mail reported.
Trump and Andrew were also pictured together alongside first lady Melania at a party in Florida in 2000, which was also attended by Epstein and his then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein allegedly hanged himself at the Manhattan Correctional Center early morning on August 10, despite being intermittently put on suicide watch. The investor was arrested by federal agents on July 6 in New Jersey after his return from a Paris trip and was charged with child sex trafficking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591.
The president's denial comes a day after Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts Guiffre gave an interview to BBC, saying she was sexually abused by the royal. She described Andrew as "hideous and sweaty," claiming she was forced to have sex with him at least three times. One of the times included a night out at Tramp nightclub in London, when she was just 17-years-old.
The royal, however, has consistently denied her claims, stating he had no recollection of ever meeting her. He has also claimed that an image of them together has been doctored.
President Trump, during the same press conference on Tuesday, was asked about the UK General Election, Brexit, the NHS, and Jeremy Corbyn. The president, in response, denied knowing "anything about" Corbyn despite tweeting about him and discussing him on his interview with Nigel Farage on Leading Britain's Conversation (LBC) this year.
"I know nothing about the gentleman, Jeremy Corbyn," Trump said in response.