JD Vance Pushed for Answers on Epstein's 'Wealthiest and Most Powerful' Clients in Resurfaced Tweet
"Remember when we learned that our wealthiest and most powerful people were connected to a guy who ran a literal child sex trafficking ring? And then that guy died mysteriously in a jail? And now we just don't talk about it," Vance posted.
At the time, Vance also cited an article by columnist Matthew Walther exploring why many Americans were drawn to conspiracy theories like Pizzagate, naming the Epstein scandal as key in fueling public distrust.
"Was Trump speaking from personal experience when he said in 2002 that Epstein 'likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side'?" Walther asked in the 2019 article.
The resurfaced tweet takes on a new relevance this week as it stands in contrast to the Trump administration's recent Justice Department memo concluding Epstein had no "client list," no blackmail material and died by suicide — findings that have angered many MAGA-aligned commentators who have supported Trump since his 2016 campaign promise to "drain the swamp."
With his second election, Trump's pick for FBI Director was Kash Patel, who promised to "roll out the black book" of Epstein's clients "on day one." Trump further signaled his commitment to transparency with an executive order to declassify files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
But action regarding the Epstein files has been less decisive, with suspicion mounting with each delay of revelatory details. Tesla CEO Elon Musk heightened speculation when he accused the president of refusing to release the Epstein files because of his alleged personal involvement. Musk later deleted the tweet, but continues to comment critically about the administration's handling of the declassification process.
With the DOJ now insisting there's nothing to reveal, the administration's previous messaging on Epstein faces renewed scrutiny. Vance's past misgivings regarding the "wealthiest and most powerful people" associated with Epstein only fuel skepticism of the DOJ's insistence that there's nothing to reveal.
Vance has not publicly addressed the apparent tension between his past call for accountability and the administration's current official stance.
Originally published on Latin Times
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