Donald Trump says Virginia Giuffre’s death ‘a horrible thing’
The 41-year-old, who settled a sexual assault lawsuit against the Duke of York, died on Friday in Australia.
US President Donald Trump has described the death of Virginia Giuffre, who settled a sexual assault lawsuit against the Duke of York, as “a horrible thing”.
Ms Giuffre died in Western Australia on Friday, aged 41, her publicist has confirmed.
She was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at a New Jersey Airport, Mr Trump said news of Ms Giuffre’s death was “a very sad situation, the whole thing.”
“That whole situation is very sad – her and others,” he said. “Certainly, that’s a horrible thing.”
American-born Giuffre has lived in Australia for years and has become an advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in the prolonged downfall of disgraced paedophile financier Epstein.
She came forward publicly after the initial investigation ended in an 18-month Florida jail term for Epstein, who made a secret deal and was released in 2009.
In subsequent civil lawsuits, Mr Giuffre said she was a spa attendant as a teen at Mar-a-Lago — Mr Trump’s Palm Beach club — when she was approached in 2000 by Maxwell.
She was hired as a masseuse for Epstein and was flown around the world for meetings with men at Epstein’s behest while she was 17 and 18.
The duke paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Ms Giuffre, whom he said he had never met.
She sued him for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein.
She alleged they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17, a claim Andrew has denied.
Her family said in a statement Ms Giuffre was a “fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse” but that the “toll of abuse… became unbearable”.
“She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,” they said.
The statement added: “She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.
“Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”
She is survived by her three children, whom the statement described as the “light of her life.”
On Monday, a Western Australia Police spokeswoman confirmed Ms Giuffre’s death was still under investigation by major crime detectives, but did not appear to be suspicious.
Perth Coroner’s office said Ms Giuffre’s death had been reported to the coroner, who would investigate the circumstances.
She had recently separated from her husband, Robert, and was due to face court over allegations she had breached a family violence order.
Last month she also made headlines after being taken to hospital following a traffic collision.
