EU trade chief Šefčovič rejects Epstein involvement

BRUSSELS — The EU’s most senior trade official said he had no contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Maroš Šefčovič issued a denial through a European Commission spokesperson on Tuesday, insisting he “never had any direct or indirect contact, communication or meeting with Jeffrey Epstein.”

POLITICO searched the tranche of documents relating to Epstein released on Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice and found three incidental references to Šefčovič but no evidence of any contact with Epstein.

“I did not authorize, request or agree to anyone mentioning my name to Jeffrey Epstein,” Šefčovič said via Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari. “Any such mention was made without my knowledge … I’m appalled that my name was used in that exchange without my knowledge or consent, and I categorically reject any implication of my involvement for that.”

The denial comes after fellow Slovak politician Miroslav Lajčák resigned from the country’s government on Saturday after exchanges between him and Epstein were published.

“If Miroslav Lajčák mentioned my name, it was for his own purposes with which I had nothing to do,” Šefčovič said via Ujvari.

Šefčovič, who became a European commissioner in 2009, has overseen the bloc’s trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump.