Lesley Groff, former executive secretary to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, told lawmakers that she arranged phone calls between her boss and President Donald Trump several times a year for at least a decade. The transcript of her testimony was released Tuesday by the House Oversight Committee.
Groff, who began working for Epstein in 2001, stated she did not recall setting up any in-person meetings between the two men. She described their relationship as potentially "friendly" but said she did not know if any business dealings occurred between them, as she did not ask or discuss such matters with either Epstein or Trump.
When questioned about reports that Epstein kept a photo of himself with Trump, Groff said she did not remember seeing one. Her testimony also included details about her role in scheduling Epstein's daily massages with numerous women, some of whom were minors, in locations including New York and the United Kingdom. Survivors have stated they were forced to perform massages on Epstein as a prelude to sexual abuse.
Groff's account appears to contrast with recent public statements made by Vice President JD Vance. Vance had asserted on a television program that Trump and Epstein had a falling out, claiming Trump expelled Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club and reported him to the police, suggesting Epstein "hated" Trump. Evidence indicates their association extended into the early 2000s.
Some Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee expressed skepticism regarding Groff's testimony. Representative Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) questioned Groff's claims of not witnessing any inappropriate behavior or scheduling massages involving minors, despite working for Epstein for 18 years. He stated it was "highly inconsistent" for her to maintain such a position.