Trump turns on MAGA members demanding more information about Epstein
Trump brought up some of his favorite nemesis – the Russia probe he calls 'Russia, Russia, Russia' and former FBI Director James Comey – accusing Republicans demanding the release of Epstein files of participating in a partisan errand. 'Some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into that net, so they try and do the Democrats' work,' Trump said. Trump defended his AG Pam Bondi, and gave her verbal permission to release certain materials.
'Whatever is credible she can release. If a document is credible, if a document's there that is credible, she can release,' Trump said. 'He's dead. He's gone,' Trump said of Epstein, who Trump knew socially in Palm beach during the 90s before suffering a break. 'All it is the Republicans – certain Republicans – got duped by the Democrats. And they're following a Democrat playbook,' Trump said.
Although Trump backed up Bondi, he didn't do the same for FBI Director Kash Patel, who like his deputy Dan Bongino helped fuel the Esptein controversy before joining the administration. 'I can't speak about him, but I can say that Pam Bondi, I really think that she's done very good,' Trump said. His comments are the latest effort to shut down the issue, amid a bubbling MAGA civil war over the topic, amid splits over his attack on Iran and sudden U-turn on arming Ukraine.
Trump hasn't been able to make his most fervent supporters forget about his administration's Jeffrey Epstein files failure – no matter how hard he tries. The president insists Democrats are to blame for stoking conspiracies about the disgraced financier and convicted child sexual offender – even though his MAGA base is the most vocal in their claims about Epstein's suspicious death and the existence of a list of co-conspirators. Trump on Wednesday again begged his supporters to move on and said those giving into the 'Epstein hoax' are part of a group of his 'past supporters.'
'The Radical Left Democrats have hit pay dirt, again!' Trump wrote on Truth Social, likening Epstein conspiracies to their past capitalization on the 2016 election interference investigation and fake claims Hunter Biden 's laptop was a Russian disinformation campaign. The Justice Department and FBI released a memo this month concluding the initial findings that Epstein killed himself in prison are true and that there is no such list of clients who engaged in the child sexual trafficking ring. The MAGAverse immediately was up in arms over the Epstein files review, claiming it was a failure or even a cover-up within the DOJ to protect high profile individuals.
Among the latest to turn against Trump is podcaster and comedian Andrew Schulz , who unleashed a viral rant against the president for his 'failed' Epstein promises. Schulz hosted Trump on his podcast in October in the weeks leading to the election, but is now admitting he's disappointed by his second term so far. 'I wanted something different,' he said. 'I was hoping for some sort of change.' In the week-and-a-half since the memo went public, Trump has repeatedly tried to get his supporters to stop demanding more answers about the investigation, claiming the case is closed.
He has defended Attorney General Pam Bondi and said Democrats made up the conspiracies, which he now calls the 'Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,' to divide Republicans. 'These Scams and Hoaxes are all the Democrats are good at - It's all they have,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Wednesday. 'Their new scam is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my past supporters have bought into this '[expletive],' hook, line, and sinker.' Trump claims those who used to support him have been tricked by Democrats into believing Epstein conspiracies and are now working against him.
'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!' Trump said. The president's base, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, were among the pro-MAGA voices who pushed conspiracies that Epstein was murdered in jail and that he held a 'client list' that he used as blackmail. The Wednesday post comes after Trump made another lengthy plea on his Truth Social over the weekend for his 'selfish' supporters to move on.
'We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening,' the president lamented in the Saturday post. 'We have a perfect Administration… and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein.' Epstein died in prison on August 10, 2019. Trump said the Epstein 'hoax' was conjured up by Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan. He said it was up to them to release the files.
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