The internet erupted this week after the House Oversight Committee released thousands of emails linked to billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Among the documents was a particularly odd exchange between Epstein and his brother, Mark, which included a reference that immediately caught the attention of social media: an offhand remark about Donald Trump allegedly performing a sexual act on someone identified only as “Bubba.”
The email, dated March 2018, showed Mark Epstein urging his brother to ask former Trump adviser Steve Bannon whether Russian President Vladimir Putin “has the photos of Trump blowing Bubba.” Jeffrey Epstein responded dryly: “and i thought— I had tsuris,” using the Yiddish word for “troubles.”
Once the email became public, the internet went into overdrive. The term “Bubba” has long been associated with former President Bill Clinton, who, like Trump, had known connections to Epstein.
This link fueled a frenzy of jokes, memes, and half-serious theories about what—or who—the cryptic reference meant. People debated whether it was a serious allegation, a coded message, or simply two brothers engaging in dark humor.
Mark Epstein Clarifies “Bubba” Is Not Bill Clinton
Amid the uproar, Mark Epstein issued a statement attempting to calm the speculation. His response, reported online by Business Insider’s Jacob Shamsian, stated that the email exchange had been misinterpreted and that any theories connecting “Bubba” to Bill Clinton were entirely incorrect.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the reference to ‘Bubba’ in this correspondence is not, in any way, a reference to former President Bill Clinton,” the statement read.
Mark described the messages as “simply part of a humorous private exchange between two brothers,” insisting that linking the joke to Clinton “misrepresents both the purpose and the tone of the original correspondence.”
However, his clarification only shut down one theory while leaving room for continued speculation. Mark Epstein did not reveal who “Bubba” actually referred to, keeping the mystery alive online.
Public Reaction Fuels Ongoing Questions About Epstein’s Network
Even after Mark Epstein’s statement, the conversation has not slowed. The release of the emails reignited discussion about the wider network of powerful individuals connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The strange “Bubba” exchange became one of the most talked-about parts of the newly released documents.
Some treated the exchange as a private joke between siblings, while others viewed it as potentially significant in understanding Epstein’s connections and influence. With Mark Epstein declining to clarify the nickname’s identity, the mystery remains unresolved.
As more material from the Epstein archives emerges, speculation continues, and the question of who “Bubba” truly is remains as open—and intriguing—as ever.