Newly released emails between Jeffrey Epstein and journalist Michael Wolff reveal Epstein speculating about the $450 million sale of Leonardo da Vinci's *Salvator Mundi* and its possible connection to Donald Trump. In a May 2019 exchange, Epstein suggested that the painting's sale by Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman might have been a covert bribe to secure Trump's support on Middle Eastern policy, specifically his veto of a congressional resolution against U.S. involvement in the Yemen war. Epstein also noted that his "art guy" thought the painting wasn't very good.
The revelation matters because it ties the art world's most expensive painting—already shrouded in mystery over its authenticity, provenance, and buyer—to a web of geopolitical intrigue and conspiracy theories. While Epstein's claims remain unsubstantiated, the emails highlight how high-value art transactions can be leveraged as tools of influence and diplomacy, raising questions about transparency in the art market and the intersection of art, power, and politics.