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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Sam Levine in New York

Mike Johnson claimed Trump was anti-Epstein informant, then retreated amid criticism

Mike Johnson Jeffrey Epstein Donald Trump FBI United States Capitol Hill MaraLago
a man in suit speaking at lectern, american flags behind him
Mike Johnson speaks on Capitol Hill on 3 September in Washington DC. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

In a matter of days, the US House speaker, Mike Johnson, claimed that Donald Trump was an FBI informant who was working to try to take down the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein – then backed away from the confusing statement.

Johnson made the baffling claim on Thursday speaking to reporters at the US Capitol. “He was an FBI informant to try and take this stuff down,” Johnson said of Trump.

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