Q: briefed on your name in Epstein files? Trump: never briefed No; France recognizing Palestine

Arriving in Turnberry, Scotland for a Scottish trip, President Trump fielded questions on multiple subjects. Asked if he had been briefed about his name appearing in the Epstein files: “No, I was never briefed. No.” On Macron’s France-recognizes-Palestine announcement: “That’s fine if he does that. That’s up to him. It’s not up to me. I’m with the United States. I’m not with France.” Trump delivered a direct warning to European leaders on immigration: “You better get your act together. You’re not going to have Europe anymore … We had nobody entering our country, nobody. Shut it down … you got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe.” On Hulk Hogan’s passing: “He was a physical specimen … I’ve watched him lift 350 pounds … over his head … In the last three years, I’d say, he became really political … He was a great friend to MAGA.” A crowd had gathered at Turnberry for Trump’s arrival.

”No, I Was Never Briefed”

The reporter’s question. “Were you briefed on your name appearing in the Epstein files ever?”

Trump’s answer. “No, I was never, never briefed.”

That is the direct response. The question — whether Trump had been briefed that his name appeared in Epstein-related files — is a specific factual question about what information Trump has received from his own administration.

Trump’s “no, never briefed” answer is the kind of statement that will be tested against future information release. If documents are subsequently released showing Trump’s name in Epstein material, the question will be whether Trump’s “never briefed” statement reflects:

• That Trump’s name is not in the files (and therefore there was nothing to brief).
• That Trump’s name is in the files but no one has yet briefed him.
• That Trump’s name is in the files and someone briefed him, and his statement is false.

The administration’s position, consistent across multiple cycles, is that Trump is not implicated in the Epstein files. Rep. Tim Burchett’s earlier framing — “Trump’s not on this list because he was. Biden would have released it the first day” — is the broader administration argument. Trump’s own “never briefed” statement aligns with that framing.

Macron’s Palestinian State Recognition

The reporter pressed on the Macron Palestinian-state announcement. “The French president and moderate marketer, the President of the United States will obviously recommend the Palestinian states. What’s your comment on that?”

Trump’s answer. “Well, that’s what he does. I mean, you know, he, that’s fine. If he does that, that’s up to him. It’s not up to me. I’m with the United States. I’m not with France.”

“I’m with the United States. I’m not with France” is a direct statement of his positioning. Trump is not aligning U.S. policy with Macron’s. The French recognition of Palestinian statehood is a French decision. The U.S. has its own position on Palestinian statehood — which remains that any such recognition must emerge from a negotiated process that addresses Israeli security concerns and Palestinian governance reliability.

Trump’s “not with France” framing is not a diplomatic break. It is a clarification. The U.S. is not obligated to follow European foreign policy positions on contested issues. When the U.S. and France disagree, they disagree. That is the normal texture of international relations.

”You’re Not Going to Have Europe Anymore”

Trump then pivoted to a direct warning to European leaders on immigration. “On immigration, you better get your act together. You’re not going to have Europe anymore. You got to get your act together.”

“You’re not going to have Europe anymore” is the stark framing. European civilization — the specific cultures, communities, and social structures that define European countries — is, in Trump’s framing, being erased by demographic transformation driven by unrestricted immigration.

That framing is not new among European political figures on the right. It is new in its explicit delivery by a sitting U.S. president to European leaders. Previous U.S. administrations, including Trump’s first term, have been more restrained in direct immigration critique of allied governments.

”We Had Nobody Entering Our Country”

“And we, you know, as you know, last month we had nobody entering our country, nobody. Shut it down. And we took out a lot of bad people that got there with Biden. Biden was a total stiff. And what he allowed to happen, but you’re allowing it to happen to your countries.”

The U.S. border data is being offered as the contrast. “Shut it down” is the characterization of what the Trump administration has achieved. “Took out a lot of bad people” is the characterization of the deportation operations targeting criminal aliens.

“Biden was a total stiff” — Trump’s characterization of his predecessor. The argument: Biden allowed the mass migration that produced the current crisis. Trump has reversed it. European leaders who are currently experiencing what Biden allowed have no excuse for continued inaction.

”Horrible Invasion That’s Happening to Europe”

“And you got to stop the, this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe, many countries in Europe. Some people, some leaders have not let it happen. And they’re not getting the proper credit they should. I could name them to you right now, but I’m not going to embarrass the other ones.”

“I’m not going to embarrass the other ones” is diplomatic discretion. Trump is praising certain European leaders — the Hungarian, Italian, Polish, and Dutch-adjacent figures who have restricted immigration more aggressively than the mainstream European center — without shaming the German, French, Belgian, or other leaders who have not.

“But stop this immigration is killing Europe.”

That is the direct conclusion. Immigration is killing Europe. Not merely transforming. Killing. Trump’s framing is that European civilization is at an existential level of risk from its current immigration posture.

Hulk Hogan Tribute

Trump then shifted tone entirely to memorialize Hulk Hogan. “He was a physical specimen. Because he could be a good gentleman, but he was not a physical specimen. He’s not going to work. You got to go into another line.”

Trump is describing Hogan’s physical attributes. Hogan — born Terry Bollea — was famously over 6’6” and 300+ pounds at his wrestling peak, with the physique that defined the WWF era.

“But I’ve watched him lift 350 pounds in over his head. He’s just going to roll him out of the rail. No, he was the real deal. He was a bagger all the way.”

“Lift 350 pounds over his head” — Hogan’s signature wrestling moves included body slams of heavyweight opponents. “Bagger all the way” is probably Whisper’s rendering of “beggar” or “believer."

"I’ve Always Loved You”

“He said, I wish I got this. He said, I’ve always loved you. You know, we’ve always been friends. But he wasn’t a political guy. And in the last three years, I’d say, he became really political. And he said, I’m so angry at myself for not doing it earlier.”

That is Trump’s recounting of Hogan’s political conversion. Hogan was not a political figure for most of his career. In the last three years — roughly 2022-2025 — he became active, culminating in his 2024 RNC speech endorsing Trump. Hogan apparently regretted not engaging politically earlier.

”He Took a Beating”

“He was happy. But you know, he took a beating. When you look at the life that they lived, he would wrestle sometimes 200 times a year. I say, what do you wrestle every weekend? No, sometimes you wrestle every night. And it’s hard to believe.”

200 wrestling matches a year. That pace — wrestling every night, sometimes multiple times a day — is what produced the specific physical toll professional wrestlers pay. Joints, back, knees, connective tissue — all absorb the impact over decades of work.

“But being a friend, I got to see his life a little bit and his knees were troubled. His back was in trouble. He was he was in such trouble, but he was great.”

Trump’s personal observation of Hogan’s physical state. “He was in such trouble” — Hogan’s body was failing in real time. Yet “he was great” — he carried on despite the physical toll.

”Great Friend to MAGA”

“He was a great man. He was an incredible gentleman. And he was really a great friend. And he was a great friend to MAGA.”

“Great friend to MAGA” is the political-movement eulogy. Hogan’s 2024 RNC endorsement was the high-water mark of his political engagement. The movement lost a visible, culturally resonant voice with his passing.

The Turnberry Arrival

The segment closed with Trump’s arrival in Turnberry, Scotland. “You’re really going to owe me running here. Isn’t it snowing hot?”

“A big crowd has gathered in Turnberry, Scotland, awaiting President Trump’s imminent arrival.”

“President Trump is officially wheels down in Turnberry, Scotland.”

Turnberry is one of Trump’s personal Scottish properties — the iconic Trump Turnberry Resort, which hosts championship golf including the British Open. His visits to the property during his presidency have been notable — he famously visited during his first term.

The crowd gathered at Turnberry represents a specific constituency. Scottish Trump supporters and curious Scots turning out to see a sitting U.S. president at his Scottish property. The political significance is secondary to the travel-and-business dimension.

The Scottish Trip Context

Trump’s Scottish trip during the summer of 2025 was notable for several reasons:

1. It allowed Trump to visit his properties while in office, addressing property management matters that come with ownership.
2. It provided a neutral venue for various diplomatic meetings with European counterparts.
3. It marked a break from the intensity of the Washington news cycle — a physical distance that allowed for different kinds of conversations.

The crowd at Turnberry, the Hogan eulogy, the Europe-immigration warning, the Palestinian-state framing, and the Epstein question all coexist in the same press engagement. Trump, on his way to Scotland, managing a global set of considerations simultaneously.

Key Takeaways

• Trump answered directly when asked if he had been briefed on his name appearing in Epstein files: “No, I was never, never briefed. No.”
• On Macron recognizing a Palestinian state: “That’s fine if he does that. That’s up to him. It’s not up to me. I’m with the United States. I’m not with France.”
• Trump’s direct warning to European leaders on immigration: “You better get your act together. You’re not going to have Europe anymore … stop this immigration is killing Europe.”
• Trump on Hulk Hogan: “He was a physical specimen … I’ve watched him lift 350 pounds in over his head … In the last three years, I’d say, he became really political … He was a great friend to MAGA.”
• President Trump arrived at Turnberry, Scotland, his personal Trump property, with a crowd gathered to greet him.