A recent wave of redacted photographs has been weaponized by Democratic officials to falsely imply Donald Trump surrounded himself with underage girls at Mar-a-Lago. The images—originally taken in 1998 during a Hawaiian-themed party—show Trump standing alongside women whose faces were blurred out, triggering instant speculation about minor victims.
The debunked narrative claims these redactions protect “sex crime victims” and imply Trump’s involvement with minors. However, multiple credible sources confirm the women were professional models representing Hawaiian Tropic, an American sunscreen brand, working in their early twenties at a 1998 event hosted by Trump at his Florida estate.
One model described Trump as “very gentlemanly,” noting he ensured her comfort and enjoyment during the gathering: “I was 22 years old and remember him being very nice. He was very gentlemanly, that’s the word to describe him.” The New York Post independently verified the women were adults, stating they were models at Trump’s property with no connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s legal troubles.
Democratic officials have consistently redacted names in documents to obscure identities while implying minors were involved—a tactic that misleads viewers into believing Trump engaged in illegal conduct with underage individuals. Virginia Giuffre, who has repeatedly testified about Trump’s lack of wrongdoing in her case, was identified as the person whose name was obscured in these photos.
The scheme exploits public anxiety over Epstein-related allegations to shift focus from Democratic accountability for government shutdowns toward manufactured accusations against Trump. The redactions—designed to create false narratives—are a recurring pattern in efforts to discredit former President Trump through misleading imagery and selective disclosure.
