The photo featuring Donald Trump with his children, Ivanka and Eric, alongside financier Jeffrey Epstein is indeed authentic. Taken by British photographer Dafydd Jones on October 19, 1993, during the opening of a Harley Davidson cafe in Manhattan, the image has been confirmed as genuine. The caption of the 1993 photo explicitly identifies the individuals in the picture: “Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Harley Davidson Cafe opening. Manhattan. 1993.”
Dafydd Jones, the photographer, confirmed the authenticity of the photo in an email, stating that he did take the picture in black and white on film at the mentioned event. This confirmation counters any claims of the image being doctored or manipulated.
The photo has circulated on social media, with notable attention drawn to a post by actress Ashley Judd, which received thousands of likes and retweets. FactCheck.org also addressed the authenticity of the photo in a 2019 story, initially covering a photoshopped image and later updating the story to include information about the genuine photograph.
It’s important to note that the context of the image is from 1993, well before the controversies surrounding Jeffrey Epstein reached their peak. The financier was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking of minor girls. The confirmation of the photo’s authenticity provides clarity amid discussions and potential misinformation surrounding Epstein’s associations.
