What does “dog that hasn’t barked” mean? Epstein email Trump reference explained

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee raised new questions on the alleged connection between President Trump and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on November 12. 

On Wednesday, the investigative committee released nearly 20,000 pages of documents received from Epstein's estate. Following the release, Oversight Democrats highlighted three email exchanges featuring the deceased convicted sex offender, in which he mentioned the incumbent president. 

According to the documents released by the committee, Epstein referred to Donald Trump as the “dog that hasn’t barked” in an email he sent to Ghislaine Maxwell. The financier reportedly sent the following email to his associate on April 2, 2011, in the aftermath of sex trafficking survivor Virginia Giuffre’s tabloid interviews: 

“I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. [Victim] spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned.  Police chief. etc.     im 75 % there.” 

Maxwell replied, “I have been thinking about that,” acknowledging Epstein’s observations. The phrase “the dog that hasn’t barked” or “dog that didn’t bark” is an idiom used to highlight the significance of the absence of something that was expected to happen but didn’t happen. The phrase originates from Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story, The Adventure of Silver Blaze. 

In the story, while investigating a case, a Scotland Yard detective asks Sherlock Holmes about anything that should draw his attention. The consulting detective replies: 

“To the curious incident of the dog in the night time.” 

When the Scotland Yard detective points out that the dog did nothing, Holmes remarks: 

“‘The dog did nothing in the night-time.' 'That was the curious incident.’” 

Holmes’ deduction implied that the dog’s failure to bark indicated the culprit was someone the animal knew. Therefore, “the dog that hasn’t barked” and its similar phrases became idioms to point out the importance of the absence of something expected. According to the released documents, Epstein's reference implied that the victim was expected to have mentioned Trump, but she did not name him. 

Apart from Epstein's 2011 email to Maxwell, Oversight Democrats released two more conversations that mentioned Trump. 

Epstein mentioned Trump in two separate conversations with journalist Michael Wolff

Oversight Democrats shared the email exchanges of the disgraced financier to highlight his connection with the 45th and 47th US President. In addition to referring to Trump as “the dog that hasn’t barked,” Epstein mentioned him in two separate conversations with journalist Michael Wolff. In a 2019 email, months before he was arrested, Epstein reportedly wrote: 

“[Victim] mara lago. [identifier]. Trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever. Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop” 

In another 2015 email, Epstein enquired about CNN’s interview with Trump over their relationship. He asked Michael Wolff: 

“if we were able to craft an answer for him, what do you think it should be?” 

Wolff responded:

“I think you should let him hang himself. If he says he hasn't been on the plane or to the house, then that gives you a valuable PR and political currency. You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you, or, if it really looks like he could win, you could save him, generating a debt. Of course, it is possible that, when asked, he'll say Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime.”  

🚨BREAKING: Oversight Dems have received new emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate that raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes.

Read them for yourself. It’s time to end this cover-up and RELEASE THE FILES. pic.twitter.com/A5XgOHj2Jq

— Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) November 12, 2025

Ranking Member and Oversight Democrats leader Robert Garcia commented on the newly released emails and said: 

“The more Donald Trump tries to cover up the Epstein files, the more we uncover. These latest emails and correspondence raise glaring questions about what else the White House is hiding and the nature of the relationship between Epstein and the President.” 

He urged the DOJ to fully release the Epstein Files publicly and asserted that the Oversight Committee “will continue pushing for answers and will not stop until we get justice for the victims.” 

The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects. Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap. The Democrats cost our…

— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) November 12, 2025

After the release, Trump also responded on Truth Social, asserting that the Democrats are using the “Jefferey Epstein hoax” to deflect attention from the shutdown. He penned:

“Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap. The Democrats cost our Country $1.5 Trillion Dollars with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk — and they should pay a fair price. There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening up our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!” 

He labeled the shutdown as one of the Democrats' massive and most recent failures in another Truth Social Post. Trump reiterated that the Dems are using the Jefferey Epstein hoax as a deflection.