Who is ‘Bubba’? The mystery name in Epstein’s emails fanning Trump–Clinton rumours

The name “Bubba” appears in a 2018 email between Jeffrey Epstein and his brother Mark, which was released by Democrats last week. In the message, Mark wrote a joking line asking whether “Putin has the photos of Trump b*****g Bubba.”

The moment the email became public, the internet jumped to the most obvious conclusion: was “Bubba” referring to former President Bill Clinton, a man long linked to Epstein and commonly known by that nickname? Within hours, social media was flooded with speculation, memes and conspiracy theories trying to connect Trump, Clinton and Epstein through this single word.

Why Clinton’s name came up

Bill Clinton’s association with Epstein has always been an active topic for rumours. The resurfacing of the nickname revived old theories about their relationship, flights, meetings and the mysteries of Epstein’s circle. Social media users latched on to the idea that the email was some sort of coded reference. The idea that Trump could be tied to Clinton in such a compromising joke only fanned the flames.

Mark Epstein steps in

Amid the chaos, Mark Epstein shut down the rumour. He said that “Bubba” does not refer to Bill Clinton and was simply a private individual. He also claimed that the email was light-hearted banter between brothers, never meant to be taken seriously or interpreted as a real allegation. His spokesperson repeated that “Bubba” was not a public figure at all. Even the more far-fetched theories — such as whether “Bubba” referred to Ghislaine Maxwell’s horse — were dismissed.

Full statement according to The Advocate: “They were simply part of a humorous private exchange between two brothers and were never meant for public release or to be interpreted as serious remarks. For the avoidance of doubt, the reference to ‘Bubba’ in this correspondence is not, in any way, a reference to former President Bill Clinton.”

Democrats last week released a new batch of Epstein-related emails. The messages were mostly informal exchanges between Jeffrey Epstein and his brother Mark. However, the talks included casual references to high-profile figures, including Noam Chomsky, Peter Thiel, and more. Trump has dismissed the emails as another "hoax" on his Truth Social and White House has also come in his defence.