Trump fumbles as base fumes over Epstein - National & International News - THU 17Jul2025 -

The more Trump protests public interest in the Epstein files, the more questions are asked about their past relationship.

Trump admin fumbles as base fumes over Epstein

Since the Department of Justice released its Epstein files memo last week, there has been a steadily building furor within Trump’s MAGA base, including politicians, media influencers and voters. Many were displeased with the memo’s blank assertions that late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein kept no client list, had died by suicide at a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial, and that there was no evidence he was blackmailing anyone for involvement with his sex trafficking of minors. Several commentators on the right, including Tucker Carlson, expressed disbelief at these findings, as did several elected politicians on the right.

However, no one has breathed more life into this controversy than Trump himself. On several occasions since, he has lashed out at MAGA coalition members who are unwilling to let the Epstein case go. In remarks to reporters at the White House, as well as in two lengthy TruthSocial posts, Trump has described those calling for more disclosure in the Epstein case “weaklings” and said he did not want their support. He also referred to the Epstein case as a whole as a “hoax” perpetrated by Democrats to harm Trump and his administration. He also went so far as to say that the FBI should investigate the “Jeffrey Epstein hoax” as a criminal conspiracy against him.

Much ado about what exactly?

If Trump was hoping that his statements would convince his MAGA coalition to move on, it seems to have backfired spectacularly. His comments have only increased calls for greater transparency, including from many prominent MAGA politicians. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a staunch Trump ally, and other members of Congress have called for more of the files to be released. some of whom have called for a special counsel to look into the matter, a suggestion which Trump seems to have rejected.

Unfortunately for Trump, his protestations have only sparked more curiosity about the extent to which Trump himself features in the Epstein files. Trump is known to have had a close relationship with Epstein for a number of years, especially in the ’90s. There are already quite a few details known about this publicly,

There have been numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against Trump over the years, some of which have resulted in judgments against him, but none have sunk him. There’s only one allegation against Trump involving Epstein, and it is a particularly hideous but unproven one. In 2016, a lawsuit was brought by an anonymous woman (calling herself “Katie Johnson” in court records) who accused Trump and Epstein of having raped her when she was 13 years old. The woman seems to have later withdrawn her lawsuit after becoming afraid for her life.

Wyden: Trump admin “refusing to investigate” over 4000 transfers through Epstein’s account, totaling over $1 billion.

Republicans block Democratic effort to force release of the Epstein files.