Looks like the Jeffrey Epstein story is really starting to get to President Donald Trump.
His administration has been facing more and more scrutiny and criticism, especially from within the MAGA world, ever since downplaying the so-called “Epstein Files” and saying there was nothing more to see or talk about.
Just this Tuesday, Trump said, “I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is.”
That has only encouraged more questions from the right, which has been obsessing over the case for years. Part of that obsession is stoked by many in conservative media, as well Trump and those close to him, who have floated various conspiracy theories about Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died by suicide in prison in 2019.
Last week, the Department of Justice said Epstein did die by suicide, and there was no such thing as a “client list.” Since then, however, many right-leaning media types such as Steve Bannon, Megyn Kelly and Joe Rogan have reacted strongly. Some have called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to be fired or to resign. Some have demanded more transparency and asked that the full Epstein files be released.
Trump has continued to push back against such calls, praising Bondi and saying that no one should be talking anymore about someone who died years ago.
In other words, move along, nothing to see here.
That didn’t stop the criticism. The more Trump tells his base to move on, the less the base wants to.
So on Wednesday, Trump reacted on Truth Social in a lengthy post. At first, he attacked “Radical Left Democrats” for keeping the Epstein story going. He then criticized Republicans who are asking questions about it as “PAST supporters.” He called the whole thing the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” and that those so-called past supporters have “bought into this ‘bull(expletive),’ hook, line, and sinker.”
He added, “Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats’ work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!”
In a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump again called it a “big hoax” and said it was "perpetrated by the Democrats.” Then he said, “Some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.”
After Trump’s Truth Social post, New York Times White House reporter Erica L. Green wrote, “In doing so, Mr. Trump turned to an old playbook: attempting to reframe politically unfavorable issues as the work of Democrats and his political opponents. He has previously sought to blame Democrats for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, poor economic news during his term and now his administration's decision to withhold some documents in the government's investigation of Mr. Epstein. But the discontent over the Trump administration’s handling of the so-called Epstein files has stemmed from the right, and Democrats merely joined the fray after seeing a splintering of Mr. Trump’s MAGA supporters, many of whom feel betrayed.”
Green added, “The post also highlights Mr. Trump’s longstanding belief that he can convince his followers of nearly anything without losing their support.”
That is solid analysis from Green.
But will his followers stand by him on this? Axios’ Tal Axelrod quoted a “MAGAworld operative” as saying, “Villainizing your base for caring about the thing you told them to care about is never a good strategy.”
Meanwhile, on his show, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones blasted Trump, starting with his version of paraphrasing Trump: “If you talk about this, I’m going to excommunicate you.” Then Jones added, “Well, you’re not the pope, bro.”
He also said, “And I’m not saying Trumpland is a cult. The Democrats are the cult of hating reason and logic and common sense. But when Trump starts behaving like that … it starts getting into cult territory.”
