New allegations by former beauty pageant contestant Beatrice Keul have revived scrutiny of President Donald Trump's past conduct and his historical association with Jeffrey Epstein, though the claims remain unproven and have been firmly denied by Trump and the White House.
Keul, now 55, expanded on accusations she first made publicly in 2024 during a June 2026 interview with PunchUp, alleging that Trump groped her during an encounter at New York City's Plaza Hotel in 1993 and warned her not to speak about it afterward. She also alleged that Epstein was present that day and later approached her separately. Neither allegation has been adjudicated in court, and no evidence establishing the events as described has been publicly presented.
Trump has consistently denied allegations of sexual misconduct. A spokesperson previously described Keul's accusations as "fake allegations," while the president has characterized similar claims brought by other women as "unequivocally false."
According to Keul, the alleged encounter occurred while she was a 23-year-old banking executive and part-time model participating in the Donald J. Trump American Dream Pageant. Speaking to PunchUp, she described what she said was a brief confrontation inside a hotel suite.
"It was violent, it was quick, it was intense," Keul told the publication. "I was screaming for help, and nobody came. It was bad."
She further alleged that Trump warned her not to disclose what had happened.
According to Keul, he told her "otherwise, bad things can happen." That alleged statement forms a central element of her latest interview and was not included in the initial version of her allegations released in 2024.
The renewed claims arrive as Trump continues to face public scrutiny over past accusations of sexual misconduct. More than two dozen women have publicly accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior over several decades, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Among the most prominent legal cases was the lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. In that case, a New York jury found Trump liable for battery and defamation, although not for rape under New York law. Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to disturb the lower court rulings, leaving the civil judgment in place. Keul's allegations, however, have not resulted in litigation or judicial findings.
Keul also told PunchUp that she has received threatening messages since speaking publicly. She alleged that around April 2025 she received an AI-generated voice message stating, "We know where you are, and we will get you."
The source of the alleged message has not been publicly identified, and Keul did not provide evidence publicly linking it to any individual or organization. The claim has not been independently verified.
A separate aspect of Keul's account concerns Epstein.
She alleged that Epstein introduced himself as Trump's "best friend" and referred to her as his "prey." In an earlier interview with Swiss newspaper NZZ, Keul similarly claimed that Epstein approached her after the alleged incident involving Trump, describing the overall experience as "like a horror show."
Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, maintained documented social relationships with numerous wealthy and prominent figures during the 1990s and early 2000s, including Trump. Photographs and public appearances have established that the two men knew each other socially during that period before later distancing themselves.
The White House has rejected suggestions that Trump's past relationship with Epstein establishes wrongdoing.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Trump has been "totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein" and asserted that he has "done more for Epstein's victims than anyone before him."
Those statements reflect the administration's position, although there has been no single court ruling broadly adjudicating all public questions surrounding Trump's historical association with Epstein. Likewise, no criminal charges have alleged that Trump participated in Epstein's sex-trafficking offenses.
Keul said she intends to continue speaking publicly about her allegations and disclosed that she has completed a book that is undergoing legal review before publication.
"This is my truth, and I will not be silenced," she told PunchUp.
She also predicted that additional women could eventually come forward with similar accounts, telling the publication, "The dam is about to burst."
