On September 26, 2025, the political world was jolted by the release of daily schedules and flight manifests belonging to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Congressional Democrats, seeking greater transparency around Epstein's high-profile connections, unveiled documents spanning 2014 to 2019 that listed plans for meetings with some of the most influential figures in business and politics: Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Steve Bannon. While the files have sparked a new wave of scrutiny, they raise as many questions as they answer—chief among them, whether these scheduled encounters ever actually took place.
The newly released documents, obtained by the House Oversight Committee from Epstein's estate in response to a congressional subpoena, offer a rare glimpse into the social circles Epstein sought to cultivate even after his 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution. Among the most eye-catching entries is a calendar note from December 6, 2014, reading: "Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)"—a reference to Epstein's notorious private island in the US Virgin Islands, where many women have alleged they were abused by the financier. According to France 24 and corroborated by LADbible, this notation has fueled speculation about a possible meeting, but the records stop short of confirming whether Musk ever set foot on the island.
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, wasted no time in pushing back against the implications. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on September 26, Musk declared, "This is false," directly refuting any suggestion that he met with Epstein or visited his island. Musk's representatives have been contacted for further comment, but as of September 27, no additional statements had been made public.
The intrigue doesn’t end with Musk. The schedules also reference planned meetings with Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, and Steve Bannon, the former White House strategist and conservative commentator. One entry from November 27, 2017, notes a noon meeting with Thiel, while another from February 16, 2019, schedules a 7am breakfast with Bannon. Again, the documents do not confirm whether these meetings occurred—only that they were planned.
It’s worth remembering the context in which these entries appear. By 2014, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender, having pleaded guilty in 2008 to state-level prostitution charges involving a minor. Yet, as LADbible and France 24 both report, the calendars suggest Epstein continued to pursue relationships with powerful individuals across politics and business, despite his criminal record and growing notoriety.
Beyond the scheduled meetings, the release included a passenger manifest from May 12, 2000, listing Britain’s Prince Andrew as a traveler on Epstein’s private jet, accompanied by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Prince Andrew’s association with Epstein has long been a point of controversy, especially after Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse when she was a teenager. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing and, in 2022, settled the lawsuit without admitting liability. Flight logs presented during Maxwell’s 2021 trial confirmed that Prince Andrew had flown on Epstein’s plane on multiple occasions.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, was convicted in 2021 of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein to abuse. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence, though she has pleaded not guilty and is seeking to overturn her conviction at the US Supreme Court. In 2025, Maxwell was reportedly questioned in prison regarding her links to Prince Andrew and her former partner Epstein, as part of ongoing investigations.
For their part, Congressional Democrats have framed the document release as a step toward accountability. According to France 24, Sara Guerrero, spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee, stated, "Oversight Democrats will not stop until we identify everyone complicit in Epstein's heinous crimes." The committee has also called on the Justice Department to release all documents from its probe, arguing that the public deserves to know the full extent of Epstein’s network and any potential complicity by high-profile individuals.
The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle. Despite earlier promises by former President Donald Trump and his allies to make Epstein-related files public, the department announced in July that it would not release those records, citing ongoing investigations and privacy concerns. This decision has only added fuel to the fire, with critics accusing the government of shielding powerful figures from scrutiny.
Interestingly, Elon Musk himself has previously waded into the controversy over the Epstein files. Amid a public spat with Donald Trump after Musk left the White House, he claimed on social media, "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" Musk’s post suggested that the full release of Epstein-related information was being stalled for political reasons. Trump, for his part, has denied any wrongdoing and dismissed reports of a birthday note he allegedly wrote to Epstein as "fake," with his attorneys insisting that "no authentic letter or drawing exists."
Adding yet another layer, FBI Director Kash Patel testified before Congress in September 2025, stating that there was no credible evidence Epstein trafficked women and underage girls to anyone but himself. This testimony, reported by France 24, appears to contradict some public perceptions but has not quelled demands for a more exhaustive investigation.
As the story unfolds, the released documents leave the public with a patchwork of scheduled meetings, ambiguous notations, and unanswered questions. No criminal accusations have been leveled against Musk, Thiel, Bannon, or Prince Andrew based on these files, and there is no confirmation from the documents themselves that any of the planned meetings or visits actually occurred. Still, the revelations have reignited debate over the responsibilities of the powerful to distance themselves from known offenders—and the need for transparency when the stakes are so high.
For now, the Epstein files remain a potent symbol of unfinished business in American public life. As Congressional Democrats vow to keep digging and the Justice Department faces growing calls for openness, the world watches and waits, hoping for answers that have long seemed just out of reach.