In September 2024, Donald Trump allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl. Here's how it started

In September 2024 , old claims that former U.S. President Donald Trump committed acts of sexual violence against minors in the 1990s reemerged on social media platforms including X and Reddit .

This allegation, since its origin in late 2016 , has always been supported by graphic court documents describing graphic rapes allegedly perpetrated by Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .

Snopes has covered these documents several times, including when they went viral in July 2024 .

Despite their centrality to the " Trump is a pedophile" narrative, investigations by reporters at Jezebel and The Guardian found numerous red flags.

Trump and Epstein ran in the same Palm Beach social circles in the 1990s , and appeared together in video from a 1992 party at Trump 's Mar-a-Lago club.

In 2006 , Epstein became the subject of local and federal investigations into alleged sex and human trafficking probes.

In 2008 , Epstein was given a "sweetheart" deal by federal prosecutors that allowed him to plead guilty to crimes involving only one victim.

In July 2016 , The Guardian 's Jon Swaine linked the person using the name Al Taylor to former " Jerry Springer Show " producer Lubow , who reportedly staged the fights for which the show became famous.

Swaine: "Just be warned, we'll sue you if we don't like what you write".