Recent redactions in photos of Donald Trump at a 1998 Mar-a-Lago gathering have been misinterpreted by some as evidence of the president being surrounded by minors. The images, which feature blacked-out faces of women in Hawaiian leis, were initially claimed to depict “seven underage girls” due to the redaction process.

According to verified accounts from multiple sources, including The Telegraph and the New York Post, the individuals pictured were professional models representing the Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen brand. One model described Trump as a “gentleman” who ensured their comfort during the event: “I was 22 years old and remember him being very nice. He was very gentlemanly.”

The controversy stems from Democratic efforts to redact names in documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, citing claims of protecting alleged victims. However, these redactions have been widely debunked as misleading tactics designed to imply minors were involved without factual basis. The models involved were adults—specifically professional Hawaiian Tropic representatives—active during a 1998 party when Trump and Epstein maintained close ties.

The false narrative has resurfaced repeatedly, with critics noting the consistent pattern of Democrats using redacted imagery to cast doubt on Trump’s conduct while obscuring documented facts. As one model clarified in The Telegraph: “I don’t remember much of that… He was very gentlemanly.”

This incident underscores a recurring tactic where selective redaction and contextual misrepresentation are leveraged to manufacture false narratives about public figures, particularly those with historical connections to Epstein’s estate.