Latest news with #Epsteinfiles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP's Ron Johnson brings his conspiratorial focus to the Jeffrey Epstein files
Shortly after Donald Trump grudgingly left the White House following his 2020 defeat, he was effectively banned from most major social media platforms and made few television appearances. In his absence, The New York Times described Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson as Trump's successor as the Republican Party's 'foremost amplifier of conspiracy theories and disinformation.' The senator has seemed a little too eager to prove his critics right, peddling bizarre and easily discredited nonsense about Covid-19. And the Jan. 6 attack. And vaccines. And climate change. And the 2020 presidential election. And the 2024 presidential election. A few months ago, the Wisconsin Republican even began peddling 9/11 truther claims more commonly found on the radical fringes of the internet than on Capitol Hill. So it probably didn't surprise anyone when Johnson sat down with CNN's Jake Tapper and brought a conspiratorial focus to the Jeffrey Epstein files. 'I don't know what's in the Epstein files,' Johnson said, before quickly adding, 'You know, I do know that the Epstein files are in the custody of the Biden administration. You know, I don't know to what extent they've added or deleted things.' The senator went on to express concern about the 'chain of custody' with the files. This didn't stand out for me because the GOP lawmaker is looking at the Epstein story through a conspiratorial lens — for all intents and purposes, Johnson looks at every story through a conspiratorial lens — but rather because his take has come up quite a bit in recent days, especially among Republicans aligned with the White House. Indeed, the morning after the senator's on-air comments, the president himself emphasized the fact that Democrats 'controlled the 'files' for four years.' As best as I can tell, the argument is that the Epstein files should be seen as inherently suspect because of possible mischief and political manipulation. It was the Trump administration that investigated, arrested and charged Epstein, who died while in custody in 2019, but the Republican president left office after his 2020 defeat, at which point rascally Democrats could have, as Johnson put it, 'added or deleted things.' For now, let's put aside the obvious fact that there's literally no evidence of the Biden administration altering or manipulating any Justice Department files for any reason. Let's instead consider the underlying logic. Why, exactly, would Democratic officials, working in secret, fabricate incriminating evidence in a sex trafficking case — and then do nothing with the fruits of their illicit labor? Or put another way, if nefarious Democrats had manipulated the Epstein files, wouldn't they have leaked them, rather than leaving them on Attorney General Pam Bondi's desk? Why would any conspirators go to the trouble of concocting bogus evidence against political rivals, only then to sit on that evidence until their rivals are in power? The problem with Johnson's theory isn't just that it's wrong, it's also bizarre. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Donald Trump made MAGA a promise on the Epstein files. They are holding him to it
We may have just arrived at a line MAGA seems unwilling to follow Donald Trump over. It used to be that when politicians went back on their word, the people who elected them noticed, cared, reacted and pulled support and so the decision is sometimes reversed. For the President of the United States it is unchartered territory. Routinely, when he breaks a promise, his devout MAGA base has been inclined to forgive and selectively forget. Trump was the law and order presidential candidate who was also a felon. He said the United States wouldn't get involved in foreign wars and then bombed Iran. He said he would end the war in Ukraine in one day and then he announced he'll send Kyiv more Patriot missiles, albeit this time with an invoice. But he also taught his supporters to love conspiracy theories and hate the politicians who star in them. Perhaps without the humility to wonder if he'd one day be centre stage. The Epstein files are American conspiracy theory lore and the loudest voices in the most right-wing factions of the MAGA movement want them released to the public. Donald Trump used that momentum during his campaign, promising to release all documents compiled during the investigation into Epstein. It would be easy to say MAGA heavyweights would never accept anything less, but so many of them have tied themselves in knots to justify Trump's broken promises in the past. But the past few days have suggested the Epstein files might be different. After attempting to downplay the documents, Donald Trump tried convince his base to forget about them, only to then insult those who wouldn't and eventually perform somewhat of a backflip — ordering his Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all "pertinent" grand jury testimony related to the case. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough, but the move itself suggests the president may know the answer to a question that's been playing on repeat in the minds of Washington watchers since day one: Is there anything Donald Trump could do that would shake MAGA's love for him? Perhaps the president now believes crossing the line and becoming one of the powerful figures who keep the secret of the Epstein files could well have been it. That's the thing about dabbling in conspiracies — many are indeed theories, but some are true. Or more potent still, they start with something that is true. In 2008, high-flying financier Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in Florida of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. He was listed as a sex offender, but avoided a possible life sentence, instead serving 13 months in a work-release program. Epstein was later charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan for nearly identical allegations in 2019, but he took his own life while in federal custody as he awaited trial. Years later, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. During her trial, some names came up. For example, pilots took the witness stand and dropped very well-known names — Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump — who flew on Epstein's private jets. From the available evidence, theories have grown. And there has long been a theory that Epstein's "client list" not only existed but was being buried by the state. From opposition, that was a convenient theory to jump on for Trump. It played into the character he'd created for himself because it allowed him to style himself as the president that would get to the bottom of it . But earlier this month, Donald Trump's Department of Justice, as well as the FBI, released a memo saying their review found there was no "incriminating client list" and "no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions". This is not what MAGA expected to hear from their president and try as he might to distract them, they were not showing any signs of forgiving or forgetting. At a conservative conference held just days ago, commentators Megyn Kelly and Charlie Kirk discussed the memo and the actions of the Trump administration. "One of the main reasons that we voted Trump in was because we wanted real answers on real stories and we didn't want to be BS'ed anymore with a bunch of nonsense from our government that treated us like a bunch of stooges," Kelly said. "I believe Trump is still loyal to that mission and maybe the people who are behind that memo are loyal to that mission, too, but this ain't it." She said those in charge knew "the base has been led ... with a trail of breadcrumbs to believe something else for years". The pair called for all files, excluding those containing child sexual assault material, to be unsealed and released. "I think every file should be released to the public the same way as the JFK files. Let the American people decide," Kirk said. Donald Trump tried to tell his base the Epstein list didn't exist — just as he's tried to tell them what to believe in the past. But this story is well and truly in show, not tell, territory. It's not so much about what, or who, is on the list, as it about the transparency Trump promised and the base demands. Let us remember, that just one month after Donald Trump was elected for the first time, and still weeks before he would be sworn in as president, a man drove himself from North Carolina to Washington DC and stormed a pizza shop with an assault rifle. That man believed the Comet Ping Pong pizzeria on the capital's leafy Connecticut Avenue was actually a front for a child sex ring led by Hilary Clinton. This man was so adamant the former secretary of state was involved in crimes against children, he drove hours to "self-investigate" the conspiracy theory. What he found was a line up of wood-fired thin crusts and a terrified employee caught up in what is now known as "pizzagate". The idea that children are preyed upon by a ring of powerful people and that the government is involved in its cover-up has proven to be incredibly powerful in the past. It has compelled people to bear arms. It is not the sort of thing those with conspiratorial minds easily forget or can be talked out of with a few lines in a Truth Social post. When Donald Trump said the Epstein client list didn't exist, he really just added fuel to a conspiracy theory's fire. It might have been a surprise for the president who largely enjoys being believed by his base. But the political capital you can derive from conspiracy theories about the deep state becomes more of a liability when you are the person in charge and promised you'd be different. Trump has bigger fish to fry as the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal alleges further ties between him and Epstein, but his base has not been moved by his association with the sex offender in the past. Nor has it been swayed by criminal convictions or a civil jury that found Trump did sexually abuse E Jean Caroll in the 1990s. Donald Trump can be a criminal, but the reaction from MAGA over the past week tells us he cannot be seen to be protecting them, theoretical or not.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bondi suggests she has no plans to step down, dodges Epstein questions
Attorney General Pam Bondi sidestepped questions and calls for her to resign over the Justice Department's (DOJ) handling of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's files on Tuesday, instead focusing on the Trump administration's goals to fight the fentanyl drug crisis. 'I'm going to be here for as long as the president wants me here,' Bondi told reporters during an event Tuesday evening. 'And I believe he's made that crystal clear.' One reporter asked the attorney general to explain discrepancies between the joint DOJ-FBI memo issued last week — which concluded Epstein died by suicide and that a client list did not exist — and comments she made in February suggesting such a list was on her desk waiting for review. Bondi brushed off the question, seeking to turn the conversation back to the war on drugs. 'This today is about fentanyl overdoses throughout our country and people who have lost loved ones to fentanyl,' she said. 'That's the message that we're here to send today. I'm not going to talk about Epstein.' In recent days some Republicans and Democrats alike have pressured the Trump administration to release the Epstein files in full or offer more of an explanation. Some conservative commentators have gone as far as to ask Bondi to resign over the controversy. The White House and Trump have stuck behind Bondi amid the turmoil, seeking to clarify her previous comments. 'She was saying the entirety of all of the paperwork, all of the paper in relation to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week. 'That's what the attorney general was referring to, and I'll let her speak for that.' Amid pushback over word choice, Trump too has vehemently defended his attorney general's work ethic — especially as fissures emerge among his 'Make America Great Again' base over the controversy. 'They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!' Trump wrote over the weekend. 'We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening.' On Tuesday, the president said Bondi should release 'whatever she thinks is credible.' He also pressed his supporters to move on, calling the Epstein drama 'boring.' 'I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It's pretty boring stuff. It's sordid, but it's boring,' Trump told reporters. 'And I don't understand why it keeps going. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.' Bondi lauded the president for his support throughout public criticism and reaffirmed her commitment to the administration. 'We're going to fight to keep America safe again and we're fighting together as a team,' she said Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Why has Trump just called his own supporters 'stupid'?
👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 Trump scrambles to try and fire the chair of America's central bank - despite being constitutionally barred from sacking him without just cause. All of this feels like distraction and obfuscation from the Epstein files debacle - a political crisis that is eating MAGA alive. Plus: tensions are flaring in the Middle East once again. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urging de-escalation between Israel and Syria. If you've got a question you'd like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@ You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Rep. Jasmine Crockett responds to Trump saying she should take IQ test
Rep. Jasmine Crockett responds to Trump saying she should take IQ test CNN's Laura Coates speaks with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) about President Donald Trump's comments that she and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should take an IQ test. 01:05 - Source: CNN Trump says interest in Epstein files is 'pretty boring stuff' President Donald Trump said he doesn't understand his supporters' continued interest in the Epstein files, calling it "boring," while also reiterating his call for anything 'credible' to be released. 00:56 - Source: CNN Trump's fight with MAGA base over Epstein explained President Trump is at odds with some of his own supporters over after his Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to release more documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case. CNN's Erin Burnett explains the feud inside Trump's MAGA movement. 02:20 - Source: CNN Supreme Court ruling will allow mass firings of Education Department employees The Supreme Court on Monday said President Donald Trump may proceed with his plan to carry out mass layoffs at the Department of Education in the latest win for the White House at the conservative high court. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty reports. 01:34 - Source: CNN Trump demands Russia reach peace deal within 50 days President Donald Trump made several announcements on Monday aligning him more firmly with Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion than ever before. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh breaks down the two main developments that could drastically impact the ongoing war. 01:34 - Source: CNN MTG warns of 'big' blowback in MAGA world over handling of Epstein case CNN's Manu Raju spoke with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who is demanding "transparency" from President Donald Trump's administration when it comes to information related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and warned that the issue could stoke "significant" blowback from the right wing of the party. 01:04 - Source: CNN MAGA faithful weigh in on Epstein files debate At a conservative conference in Florida, Trump supporters share their views on the Epstein files fallout with CNN's Donie O'Sullivan. 01:40 - Source: CNN Trump announces novel plan to send weapons to Ukraine In an Oval Office meeting, President Trump announced that the US will sell weapons to European nations who will then send them to Ukraine. The president also threatened new trade consequences if no peace deal is reached with Ukraine within 50 days. 00:26 - Source: CNN Senator asked if she regrets voting for Trump's policy bill The Senate passed Trump's so-called 'big, beautiful bill' after a 26-hour marathon of negotiations during which Alaska's Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, as she put it later, 'struggled mightily' to soften the biggest funding blows to her state before ultimately casting a vote that guaranteed its passage. CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju caught up with Murkowski and asked if she regrets her vote in some of her first public comments about the vote since the bill became law. 01:45 - Source: CNN Journalist offers new account of Trump assassination attempt The Secret Service has issued suspensions for several agents involved in securing the Pennsylvania rally last year where Donald Trump was shot in the ear and a rally goer was killed by the would-be assassin, according to multiple sources. Journalist Salena Zito, who witnessed the assassination attempt, joined Jake Tapper to discuss why she believes "it's about time" suspensions are doled out. 00:49 - Source: CNN Former FBI deputy director slams Bongino-Bondi clash over Epstein Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe reacts to sources telling CNN that current FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is considering resigning. This amid a major clash between the FBI and Justice Department over the continued fallout from the release of the Jeffrey Epstein memo. 01:55 - Source: CNN ICE vehicle runs through protesters CNN affiliate KGO reports that an ICE vehicle ran through protesters attempting to stop an alleged deportation outside the San Francisco Federal Immigration Court. 00:59 - Source: CNN What's behind White House attacks on the Fed Chair? White House advisers are ramping up attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. CNN's Phil Mattingly explains why the Trump Administration could make Powell's life miserable, even as the President says he has no plan to fire him. 02:09 - Source: CNN Trump rebukes reporter for asking about flood alert delays President Donald Trump spoke in Kerrville, TX in the aftermath of devastating flooding in the region. He admonished one reporter for asking his response to families questioning delays of flood alerts. 01:10 - Source: CNN New Yorkers paying millions in Andrew Cuomo's legal bills CNN's MJ Lee investigates how New York taxpayers are footing the bill for Andrew Cuomo's legal defense, after he was accused of sexual harassment. 02:53 - Source: CNN Analysis: Do Trump's words affect Putin's actions? President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin out for throwing "bullsh*t" on peace talks with Ukraine - hours later, Russia launched its largest ever drone attack on Ukraine. CNN's Matthew Chance analyzes whether the US leader's comments have an impact on Russia's military operations. 01:23 - Source: CNN Federal judge blocks Trump's birthright citizenship order A federal judge agreed Thursday to issue a new nationwide block against President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. CNN's Katelyn Polantz reports. 01:01 - Source: CNN GOP senator reveals details of conversations with Trump over bill vote Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) joins CNN's Jake Tapper to discuss his private conversation with President Donald Trump after voting against the president's agenda — just before announcing he would retire from Congress instead of seeking reelection next November. 03:27 - Source: CNN
