Did Trump was Epstein's best friend?

Claude Sonnet 4.6

Vote: No

There is no credible evidence that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were 'best friends.' While they were acquainted and moved in some of the same social circles in New York during the 1980s and 1990s, and Trump has been photographed with Epstein at social events, this does not constitute a 'best friend' relationship. In fact, Trump later stated he had a falling out with Epstein and banned him from his Mar-a-Lago resort. The characterization of Epstein as Trump's 'best friend' is not supported by factual evidence.

GPT-5.5

Vote: No

There is evidence that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein knew each other socially and moved in some of the same circles, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump also made a publicly friendly comment about Epstein in 2002. However, that does not establish that Trump was Epstein's "best friend." The available public evidence supports that they were acquaintances or social contacts, not that Trump was Epstein's closest friend. Therefore, the better answer is "No."

DeepSeek V4 Flash

Vote: No

There is no credible evidence that Donald Trump was Jeffrey Epstein's 'best friend.' While they were known to each other socially and attended some of the same events, multiple sources—including Trump's own statements—indicate they were not close. Trump has said they had a falling out years before Epstein's legal troubles. The label 'best friend' grossly exaggerates their actual relationship.

Gemini 3.1 Pro

Vote: No

While it is a matter of public record that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein knew each other and socialized in the same circles during the 1990s and early 2000s, there is no evidence to support the claim that Trump was Epstein's "best friend." Trump famously made comments in 2002 praising Epstein, but the two reportedly had a bitter falling out around 2004, leading Trump to ban Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Epstein's closest confidantes and long-term associates were individuals like Ghislaine Maxwell, who was deeply involved in his daily life and criminal enterprise. Because the specific designation of "best friend" is unsupported by historical facts and their relationship was ultimately severed well before Epstein's later arrests, the answer to the question is "No."

Grok 4.20

Vote: No

The question "Did Trump was Epstein's best friend?" contains a false premise. Trump and Epstein knew each other socially in the 1980s and 1990s and were photographed together at events. However, they were not best friends. Records show a falling out around 2004 when Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Trump described Epstein as someone he was "not a fan of" in later statements. No credible evidence supports them being each other's closest confidant or "best friend." "No" is the accurate choice over "Yes".

Claude Opus 4.7

Vote: No

The claim that Trump was Epstein's 'best friend' is not supported by evidence. While Trump and Epstein were socially acquainted in the 1990s and early 2000s in New York and Palm Beach circles, and Trump made a 2002 quote calling Epstein a 'terrific guy,' being acquainted is not the same as being a 'best friend.' Epstein had many high-profile associates (Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, Leslie Wexner, etc.), and Wexner in particular had a far closer and more financially entangled relationship. Trump also reportedly banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago years before Epstein's 2008 conviction. There is no factual basis to single out Trump as Epstein's 'best friend.'

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable reached a swift and unanimous consensus, firmly rejecting the premise that social acquaintance equates to a 'best friend' bond. While the models acknowledged the high-profile social overlap between the two in the 1990s, Gemini 3.1 Pro and Claude Opus 4.7 pointedly noted that Epstein's inner circle—including Ghislaine Maxwell and Leslie Wexner—involved far deeper personal and financial entanglements than the documented Trump relationship.

No agreement after 1 rounds of discussion. Final vote: No: 6

Strongest Arguments

• No: While Trump and Epstein moved in the same social circles for a time, a 'best friend' label is unsupported by facts; Epstein had much deeper financial and personal ties with figures like Leslie Wexner and Ghislaine Maxwell, and Trump ultimately banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago years before his conviction.