Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Congressman representing New York’s 13th district since 2017, addressed his constituents on social media with messages marking the start of the new school year and comments on former President Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
On September 4, 2025, Espaillat posted a message welcoming students and educators back to school: “Welcome back to school NY13! Wishing students, parents, and teachers a safe and successful back-to-school season! Education is the foundation of opportunity, and I’ll keep working to make sure every child has the resources they need to thrive and learn in safety.” The post was published at 19:20 UTC.
Shortly after, Espaillat reiterated his message in Spanish for his bilingual constituency: “¡Bienvenidos al nuevo año escolar, NY13! ¡Les deseo a estudiantes, padres y maestros un regreso a clases seguro y exitoso! La educación es la base de las oportunidades, y seguiré trabajando para asegurarme de que cada niño tenga los recursos necesarios para prosperar y aprender”. This tweet was posted at 19:30 UTC.
Later that evening, Espaillat commented on public discourse surrounding Donald Trump’s association with Jeffrey Epstein. He wrote: “Don’t believe the spin. The idea that Trump barely knew Epstein is laughable. They were at the same events, parties, and in the same social circles. Trump supposedly wrote Epstein a poem for his 50th birthday. Trump says, ‘I had nothing to do with the guy,’ but the pictures and”. This statement was shared at 20:56 UTC.
Espaillat has represented New York’s 13th District in Congress since replacing Charles Rangel in 2017. Prior to his current role in Congress, he served in both the New York State Assembly from 1997 to 2010 and the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2016. Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic in 1954 and now residing in Manhattan, Espaillat graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York with a BA in 1978.
