Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has issued a strong and personal denial of any links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, after the US Justice Department released a vast new cache of documents connected to the late convicted sex offender.

The US Department of Justice has disclosed more than three million pages of material related to Epstein, reopening public scrutiny of several high-profile figures whose names appear in emails, contact lists and references spanning years.

Among the documents are emails that appear to suggest past communication between Epstein and Musk, including references to Musk allegedly expressing interest in visiting Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012 and again in 2023.

The Tesla and SpaceX chief responded swiftly on X, accusing sections of the media and political opponents of running what he described as a coordinated smear campaign.

“Nobody has fought harder for full release of the Epstein files and prosecutions of those who abused children more than I did,” Musk wrote, adding that he was fully aware that pushing for transparency would invite attacks from “legacy media” and others who would “admit nothing, deny everything [and] make counter-accusations”.

Musk categorically denied ever attending Epstein’s parties, travelling aboard his private jet, infamously dubbed the “Lolita Express”, or visiting his island.

“I knew that I would be smeared relentlessly, despite never having attended his parties or been on his ‘Lolita Express’ plane or set foot on his creepy island or done anything wrong at all,” he said.

The billionaire also acknowledged the toll of the allegations, describing them as deeply painful but something he was prepared to endure in pursuit of what he framed as a broader moral cause.

“Nonetheless, the extreme pain of being accused of being the opposite of who I am was worth it,” Musk wrote.

Reiterating his stated values, he added: “The strong must protect those who cannot protect themselves, especially vulnerable children. I will gladly accept any amount of future pain to do more to protect kids and give them a chance to grow up and have happy lives.”

The latest disclosures have reignited debate around Epstein’s network of associates and contacts, years after his death in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Legal experts have repeatedly cautioned that the presence of a name in the released documents does not, by itself, indicate criminal wrongdoing, noting that the material includes unverified emails, references and third-party claims.

Musk’s response joins a growing list of public denials from prominent figures named or referenced in the newly released files, as pressure mounts for clarity over accountability, transparency and how the sprawling trove of records should be interpreted.