'Thanks Again for All Your Interest and Advice': William Burns Discussed Job Opportunities, Iran Negotiations With Jeffrey Epstein in Final Days at Obama State Department, Emails Show

On Oct. 31, 2014, William Burns was hours away from retiring as former president Barack Obama's deputy secretary of state. Before walking "out the door of State Department for last time," as Burns put it, he emailed a confidant to discuss his interest "in consulting or advisory arrangements" and said he'd be "in touch" for a meeting. The recipient was Jeffrey Epstein.

Burns frequently contacted Epstein—who had already been convicted of child sex offenses—in his final year as one of Obama's top diplomats, records released by the Department of Justice show. He referenced upcoming meetings with Iranian officials to negotiate Obama's nuclear deal. He made clear his interest in the sort of lucrative business arrangements that a well-connected and wealthy individual like Epstein could provide. At one point, Epstein invited Burns to his infamous private island, Little Saint James.

The messages suggest a tighter relationship between Burns and Epstein than Burns—who also served as former president Joe Biden's CIA director—has let on.

The Wall Street Journal reported two years ago that Burns had met with Epstein in 2014, but a CIA spokeswoman told the Journal that Burns had "no relationship" with Epstein and "did not know anything about him, other than that he was introduced as an expert in the financial services sector and offered general advice on transition to the private sector." The newly released emails, however, show friendly correspondence between Burns and Epstein.

"Off to Virgin Islands tomorrow for a week, and about to walk out the door of State Department for last time," Burns wrote at 5:36 p.m. on his final day as deputy secretary of state. "I've agreed to serve as President of the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, beginning in February. They've been generous about allowing me a third of my time for other activities, so I remain very much interested in consulting or advisory arrangements. Hope to get up to NY again next month, and will be in touch. Thanks again for all your interest and advice."

Epstein responded by saying he was "in the Virgin Islands" at his "private island/home" and would "be here all week." He told Burns to "come visit" and "bring whomever you please" and offered to send a car. Burns called Epstein "very generous" but said his vacation plans had "shifted" as he had agreed to "go off to join John Kerry in Oman with the Iranians at the end of the week." Burns said he had "promised" his wife, Lisa, that they would spend the remaining time in the Virgin Islands together and asked for a "rain check" once he returned to the "aborted vacation sometime in the next few months." Epstein told Burns to email him "if you change your mind or lisa wants to take my boat with you or jet ski scuba etc."

It's unclear if Burns took Epstein up on the offer. But hours later, Epstein emailed Burns to say he'd "set up" Burns with a bank "when you are ready." He also offered "a car and driver and or boat" to take Burns to the airport.

Burns did not respond to a request for comment.

After joining Kerry in Oman, Burns traveled with the then-secretary of state to Vienna for further nuclear negotiations. Epstein emailed Burns during the trip to comment on his attire, writing, "Since I am in the green blue Caribean [sic] I can only assume your green tie . was a reminder to yourself of where you should have been resting." "Some retirement," Burns responded. "Look forward to seeing you again soon, and enjoy the green blue sea in the meantime." Burns wore a green tie in his official portrait as Biden's CIA director.

Burns also emailed and met with Epstein prior to leaving the Obama administration.

"I was trying to rearrange my schedule, but unfortunately will be in Europe Oct 14-15 to meet with Iranians (never much fun)," Burns wrote. "I will be in NY for an awards dinner on Oct 16, and then following morning for breakfast with Kissinger and farewell meeting with Ban Ki Moon, before coming back to DC. Thanks for thinking of me, and we'll make meetings work eventually."

The meeting scuttled by Burns's trip to negotiate with the Iranians came just a few months after he joined Epstein for lunch at a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., and visited the financier's home in New York City, according to emails, text messages, and Epstein's personal calendar. The pair held a meeting at the offices of Steptoe & Johnson in August 2014 and at Epstein's Manhattan mansion on the evening of Sept. 24, 2014, where the sex predator asked his staff to provide them with "snacks," emails show.

Other emails offer further details on the nature of the relationship between Burns and Epstein. Epstein invited Burns to a December 2014 dinner with filmmaker and alleged sex abuser Woody Allen. Burns took another rain check.

"If you are in ny want to have dinner tonit [sic] with woody allen/.?" Epstein wrote. "Wish I could—am in DC and am committed to a dinner here this evening," Burns wrote. "Hope I can take rain check, and will be in touch when I finalize next trip to NY later this month." Epstein and Allen were close personal friends, and Allen praised Epstein in a series of interviews last year, calling Epstein "charming and personable."

Epstein also offered to introduce Burns to Peter Thiel, text messages show, and told Thiel in an email that Burns was the "best and most respected diplomat in the admin."

"He conducted the secret iran negotiations," Epstein wrote, "kept them secret for a year..and was involved in the most sensitive of missions for years. i can set up [for a meeting] when you are avail."

Epstein was referring to Burns's role as the leader of the Obama administration's back-channel nuclear negotiations with Iran, during which Burns and other U.S. officials flew in unmarked government planes in secret to set the stage for what became the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Burns is not the only prominent Obama administration official to have regularly communicated with Epstein. The disgraced pedophile maintained a close relationship with Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, showering her with gifts like a $9,400 Hermès handbag, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

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