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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Epstein Files: How the saga unfolded within Trump's administration
Jeffrey Epstein may have been dead for six years, but the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence supporting federal charges of child sex trafficking continue to make headlines. Most recently, they have caused a schism in MAGA world, reigniting anger from some supporters of President Donald Trump over his campaign promise to release the FBI files on the Epstein case, which the Department of Justice now says will not happen. At the heart of the anger is the supposed existence of a 'client list' of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent associates, whom some claim that Epstein blackmailed over their alleged involvement in his trafficking ring. Conspiracy theorists have long demanded its release, but now the Trump administration says there is no evidence it exists, despite Attorney General Pam Bondi having said in February that it was on her desk. Bondi now says she was referring to the overall case file. The attorney general also said officials at the Justice Department were examining a 'truckload' of evidence that had previously not been made public. Attorney General Pam Bondi, seen here with President Donald Trump, has angered the MAGA base by deciding not to release the so-called 'Epstein Files' (Getty Images) However, the department concluded that public disclosure would not be appropriate, and much of the material was sealed by a judge. This has added fuel to rampant speculation that Trump is on the alleged list, despite its apparent nonexistence. This caused a storm among right-wing influencers, including commentator Tucker Carlson, activist Laura Loomer, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who are outraged over this lack of transparency. Here's what you need to know about the case and why MAGA is up in arms. What are the so-called 'Epstein Files'? Epstein was a wealthy and very well-connected financier who was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after his arrest. Investigators concluded he died by suicide, although many people dispute this determination, including, most recently, a former occupant of the same cell. In addition, the 'raw' video footage released by the Department of Justice of Epstein's cell door in the hours before he was found dead had nearly three minutes cut out from it, a new report has claimed. Socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend, was charged with helping him abuse teenage girls and was convicted of sex trafficking at a 2021 trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Because the couple's social circle included royals, presidents, and billionaires, the case gained massive attention and fueled some of the biggest conspiracy theories driving Trump's supporters. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in an undated handout photo issued by the Department of Justice (PA) Trump himself was a friend of Epstein, and the two were photographed and filmed together on several occasions. In 2002, Trump described Epstein as a 'terrific guy' whom he had known for 15 years, in an interview with New York magazine. He added: 'It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' Being so well-connected, key figures in the MAGA movement have long propagated unsubstantiated claims that Epstein was murdered and that 'deep state' actors in the government are hiding lists of his clients, videos of crimes being committed, and other evidence. Among those figures were now-FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino, who both stoked conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death, with the latter telling listeners in 2023 that there are people in the 'Washington swamp who are not telling you the truth.' In 2019, Trump himself suggested there was a cover-up and was asked on Fox News on the 2024 campaign trail if he would declassify documents relating to the case once he took office again — these became known as the 'Epstein Files.' Then-candidate Trump said he would, alongside files relating to 9/11 and the JFK assassination, but hedged his answer on Epstein, adding: 'I think that less so because you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there, because it's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would.' Kash Patel and Dan Bongino (Getty Images) What has happened since Trump returned to the White House? In February, weeks after Trump's inauguration, Bondi was asked during a Fox News interview whether the DOJ would release the alleged client list. She responded: 'It's sitting on my desk right now to review. That's been a directive by President Trump. I'm reviewing that.' A few days later, Bondi told the network that the Justice Department planned to publish 'a lot of flight logs' and 'a lot of names' related to Epstein. On February 27, far-right influencers, including Jack Posobiec and Scott Presler, as well as the individuals behind the LibsofTikTok and DC_Draino accounts, were invited to an event at the White House and provided with binders marked 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' and 'Declassified.' After jubilant images of the group holding the binders aloft were published, their excitement quickly faded when they realized that the content was already almost entirely in the public domain. Some were outraged and blamed Bondi. People walk out of the West Wing of the White House with "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" binders, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 27, 2025 (REUTERS) Loomer blasted the handling of the publication, writing on X: "The Epstein files were released in an unprofessional manner with paid, partisan social media influencers to curate their binders for us. I can't trust anything in the binder. Neither should you." In May, Bondi claimed there were 'tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn,' adding further fuel to conspiracy theories that powerful people were being protected and the decision to release 'Phase 1' had been to allow time for some kind of cover-up. Bondi pushed back on this notion, saying: 'It's a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public.' Multiple people who worked on the criminal cases of Epstein and Maxwell told The Associated Press that they had not seen and were unaware of a trove of recordings similar to what Bondi had referenced. June 5 — Musk and Trump's feud explodes with Epstein allegation As the months-long bromance between Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk came to a spectacular end with a social media battle for the ages, the topic of Epstein arose in one of the most explosive posts exchanged that day. Musk tweeted: 'Files linked to the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have emerged as a point of fixation for Trump and his allies and right-wing media figures. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' Shortly after, he wrote: 'Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.' Later, perhaps as cooler heads prevailed, Musk deleted the tweet. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk at the White House in happier times (AFP/Getty) July 7 — MAGA world erupts over DOJ memo At the close of the Independence Day federal holiday weekend, the Justice Department announced in a two-page memo, in conjunction with the FBI, that there was no client list and no additional files relating to the case would be made public. The DOJ, it said, had determined that no 'further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,' much was sealed by a court to protect Epstein's victims, and 'only a fraction of it 'would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.' Additionally, the memo said that no further charges were expected as investigators 'did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.' Also released were hours of footage, which officials say further confirms Epstein died by suicide while in custody in his jail cell in Manhattan in 2019. The 11-hour video of Epstein's final hours in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center had one minute of footage missing, and forensic experts concluded that the clip had been 'modified,' adding fuel to the fire. While the memo said the government's highest priority was combatting child exploitation, it added: 'Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.' Right-wing conspiracy theories and renewed suspicions of a cover-up went into overdrive over this retreat by Bondi. Former Trump adviser Bannon questioned if the administration is really as transparent as it claims to be. Loomer called on Bondi to resign 'for lying to the American people,' a call echoed by fellow MAGA influencer Glenn Beck. Podcaster Megyn Kelly called Bondi 'either lazy or incompetent,' and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones accused the Trump administration of being part of the cover-up. July 8 — Trump tries to deflect while Bondi attempts clean-up Attorney General Pam Bondi, left, listens as President Donald Trump, right, speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) In a Cabinet meeting on July 8, with reporters present, Trump interrupted a question on the topic, saying: 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking — we have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable.' Bondi then clarified her past comments on the case: 'In February, I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed, meaning the file along with the JFK, MLK files as well. That's what I meant by that.' Concerning her later comments about the 'tens of thousands' of videos, she said that they had 'turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein.' Musk once again joined the conversation, posting on X: 'How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won't release the Epstein files?' The former DOGE administrator also claimed, with no evidence, that his nemesis, Bannon, was in the files. July 11 — Bongino's future in doubt The most public split within the Trump administration emerged between Bondi and Bongino, with the deputy FBI director expressing dissatisfaction with how the memo had been released. He told allies that he may resign as the storm over the memo continued within MAGA world. According to reports, the two had a fiery confrontation with Bongino attacking Bondi for her handling of the situation. To try and diffuse speculation about infighting within the administration, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on X that he had personally worked with both Bongino and Patel on the memo. 'All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions stated in the memo,' Blanche wrote. 'The suggestion by anyone that there was any daylight between the FBI and DOJ leadership on this memo's composition and release is patently false.' This provoked an angry response from Loomer, who asked why no one had signed their name on the memo, speculating that the FBI had wanted to release more information and Bondi — whom she refers to as 'Blondi' — had refused. 'Blondi is literally blowing up the Trump admin by concealing information, spending time on Fox News lying to MAGA base and by releasing contradictory statements,' wrote Loomer on X. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino on Capitol Hill (Getty Images) July 12 — Trump defends Bondi amid continuing MAGA outrage Only one person could attempt to diffuse internal strife within the administration, and so on Saturday, the president took to Truth Social and, in an extraordinarily lengthy post, defended Bondi amid continued calls for her resignation from his base. Trump praised her for doing a 'fantastic job' and urged his 'boys' and 'gals' in MAGA world to stop attacking her. 'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?'' Trump wrote. 'They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening.' 'We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,' Trump protested. The president's post did little to quell the anger from his base, who continued to call for the release of the files. His first-term national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, wrote on X: '@realdonaldtrump please understand the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away.' He added that failing to address unanswered questions about Epstein would make facing other national challenges 'much harder.' Musk once again commented on X, replying to a post: Seriously. He [Trump] said 'Epstein' half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised.' On the same day, rumors circulated that Patel, like Bongino, was also considering leaving the FBI. The director wrote on X that it is an honor to serve the president and 'I'll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.' The following day, asked about Bongino's future, Trump said he was in 'good shape,' adding: 'I spoke to him today, Dan Bongino, very good guy. I've known him a long time.' Before this, it had been reported that Trump was angry at Bongino over the situation. July 14 — Lara Trump weighs in and Democrats demand answers The president's daughter-in-law appeared to be off-message in terms of tamping down the scandal when she told Bennie Johnson on his podcast that there needed to be 'more transparency' from the administration regarding the Epstein case and that more information would be released 'sooner rather than later.' On the same day, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at a news conference that there were only two things possibly be happening regarding the case. 'Option one, Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, and the MAGA extremists intentionally lied to the American people for years about the Jeffrey Epstein situation,' he said. 'Option two is that, in fact, there's reason for the American people to be concerned as it relates to what information has not been released that could be damaging to the Trump administration and the friends and family of the Trump administration and their billionaire, corrupt supporters. And so, they're actively engaging in a cover-up,' Jeffries continued. He added that if the administration was 'hiding something,' it was up to Congress to 'uncover the truth for the American people.' Later, Texas Democratic Rep. Marc Beasey introduced a resolution calling for the immediate release of all unclassified Epstein Files. That echoed calls from MAGA Republicans. 'America deserves the truth about Jeffrey Epstein and the rich powerful elites in his circle,' Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X Monday. Nevertheless, House Republicans blocked another Democrat push to force the Trump administration to release the 'FULL' Epstein files. Seizing on growing MAGA infighting, California Representative Ro Khanna introduced an amendment to the GENIUS Act on Monday, calling on Bondi to compile and release all Epstein records within 30 days. Late Monday evening, the House Rules Committee voted 7–5 to block the proposal from reaching the lower chamber. July 15 — Trump says Bondi should release 'whatever she thinks is credible' President Donald Trump and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (AFP/Getty) On Tuesday, with the scandal refusing to die down, Trump told reporters on the South Lawn that Bondi should release 'whatever she thinks is credible' on Epstein. When asked if Bondi had informed him that his name appeared in the file, the president said no and that he had received a 'very quick briefing' on the review of the Epstein files before the release of the memo a week earlier. He then accused his predecessors of making up the files. 'And in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen, and I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden -- and you know, we and we went through years of that with the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, with all of the different things that we had to go through,' Trump said. 'We've gone through years of it, but she's handled it very well, and it's going to be up to her,' Trump said of Bondi. 'Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.' Later in the day, Trump addressed it yet again. 'I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It's pretty boring stuff. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going,' he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Also on Tuesday, podcaster Joe Rogan criticized the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files as House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans broke away from the president over the issue, stating that he was 'for transparency' and that even though it was a 'very delicate subject,' everything should be made public to let people decide. Further, a day after saying he was 'done talking about' Epstein and would 'trust my friends in the government,' podcaster and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk reversed course and said he meant 'yesterday' and will continue to discuss it, despite the president's plea for MAGA world figures to let the issue die out. MAGA Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert called for failed Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz to lead a special counsel investigation into the files to deliver the 'truth.' Gaetz's nomination was derailed over allegations that he paid for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl. He denies any wrongdoing, but a bombshell House Ethics Committee report detailed his alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use while he was in Congress. July 16 — Trump lashes out at 'PAST supporters,' and ties Epstein scandal to other 'scams and hoaxes' With the Epstein Files and MAGA world rift dominating the news cycle, Trump took to Truth Social, writing a lengthy post tying the scandal to a multitude of past 'scams and hoaxes,' pushed by the 'Radical Left Democrats.' The president then lashed out at his MAGA base, claiming his 'PAST supporters have bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker.' 'I don't want their support anymore!' Trump wrote. Talking to Politico, Loomer warned that the scandal over the Epstein files could consume Trump's presidency, reiterating an earlier call for a special counsel to investigate.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Is Trump in a corner over Epstein files?
👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 For years, Trump and his MAGA base blamed the deep state for the cover-up of unreleased details about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. They accused the Biden administration of suppressing the extent of Epstein's paedophilia, predatory behaviour and his so-called "client list" - thought to contain names of the rich and famous who conspired with him in a child sex trafficking operation. So far, so conspiracy theory. But now, Trump officials who previously said with certainty that the list exists are claiming it doesn't. The people who stood beside Trump as he decried the deep state aren't happy. They want the files. Where have they gone? If you've got a question you'd like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@ YouTube channel.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
The Epstein Files: How the saga unfolded within Trump's administration
Jeffrey Epstein may have been dead for six years, but the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence supporting federal charges of child sex trafficking continue to make headlines. Most recently, they have caused a schism in MAGA world, reigniting anger from some supporters of President Donald Trump over his campaign promise to release the FBI files on the Epstein case, which the Department of Justice now says will not happen. At the heart of the anger is the supposed existence of a 'client list' of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent associates, whom some claim that Epstein blackmailed over their alleged involvement in his trafficking ring. Conspiracy theorists have long demanded its release, but now the Trump administration says there is no evidence it exists, despite Attorney General Pam Bondi having said in February that it was on her desk. Bondi now says she was referring to the overall case file. The attorney general also said officials at the Justice Department were examining a 'truckload' of evidence that had previously not been made public. However, the department concluded that public disclosure would not be appropriate, and much of the material was sealed by a judge. This has added fuel to rampant speculation that Trump is on the alleged list, despite its apparent nonexistence. This caused a storm among right-wing influencers, including commentator Tucker Carlson, activist Laura Loomer, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who are outraged over this lack of transparency. Here's what you need to know about the case and why MAGA is up in arms. What are the so-called 'Epstein Files'? Epstein was a wealthy and very well-connected financier who was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after his arrest. Investigators concluded he died by suicide. His former girlfriend, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, was charged with helping him abuse teenage girls, and at trial in late 2021, was convicted of sex trafficking and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Because the couple's social circle included royals, presidents, and billionaires, the case gained massive attention and fueled some of the biggest conspiracy theories driving Trump's supporters. Trump himself was a friend of Epstein, and the two were photographed and filmed together on several occasions. In 2002, Trump described Epstein as a 'terrific guy' whom he had known for 15 years, in an interview with New York magazine. He added: 'It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' Being so well-connected, key figures in the MAGA movement have long propagated unsubstantiated claims that Epstein was murdered and that 'deep state' actors in the government are hiding lists of his clients, videos of crimes being committed, and other evidence. Among those figures were now-FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino, who both stoked conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death, with the latter telling listeners in 2023 that there are people in the 'Washington swamp who are not telling you the truth.' In 2019, Trump himself suggested there was a cover-up and was asked on Fox News on the 2024 campaign trail if he would declassify documents relating to the case once he took office again — these became known as the 'Epstein Files.' Then-candidate Trump said he would, alongside files relating to 9/11 and the JFK assassination, but hedged his answer on Epstein, adding: 'I think that less so because you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there, because it's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would.' What has happened since Trump returned to the White House? In February, weeks after Trump's inauguration, Bondi was asked during a Fox News interview whether the DOJ would release the alleged client list. She responded: 'It's sitting on my desk right now to review. That's been a directive by President Trump. I'm reviewing that.' A few days later, Bondi told the network that the Justice Department planned to publish 'a lot of flight logs' and 'a lot of names' related to Epstein. On February 27, far-right influencers, including Jack Posobiec and Scott Presler, as well as the individuals behind the LibsofTikTok and DC_Draino accounts, were invited to an event at the White House and provided with binders marked 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' and 'Declassified.' After jubilant images of the group holding the binders aloft were published, their excitement quickly faded when they realized that the content was already almost entirely in the public domain. Some were outraged and blamed Bondi. Loomer blasted the handling of the publication, writing on X: "The Epstein files were released in an unprofessional manner with paid, partisan social media influencers to curate their binders for us. I can't trust anything in the binder. Neither should you." In May, Bondi claimed there were 'tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn,' adding further fuel to conspiracy theories that powerful people were being protected and the decision to release 'Phase 1' had been to allow time for some kind of cover-up. Bondi pushed back on this notion, saying: 'It's a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public.' Multiple people who worked on the criminal cases of Epstein and Maxwell told The Associated Press that they had not seen and were unaware of a trove of recordings similar to what Bondi had referenced. June 5 — Musk and Trump's feud explodes with Epstein allegation As the months-long bromance between Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk came to a spectacular end with a social media battle for the ages, the topic of Epstein arose in one of the most explosive posts exchanged that day. Musk tweeted: 'Files linked to the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have emerged as a point of fixation for Trump and his allies and right-wing media figures. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' Shortly after, he wrote: 'Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.' Later, perhaps as cooler heads prevailed, Musk deleted the tweet. July 7 — MAGA world erupts over DOJ memo At the close of the Independence Day federal holiday weekend, the Justice Department announced in a two-page memo, in conjunction with the FBI, that there was no client list and no additional files relating to the case would be made public. The DOJ, it said, had determined that no 'further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,' much was sealed by a court to protect Epstein's victims, and 'only a fraction of it 'would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.' Additionally, the memo said that no further charges were expected as investigators 'did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.' Also released were hours of footage, which officials say further confirms Epstein died by suicide while in custody in his jail cell in Manhattan in 2019. The 11-hour video of Epstein's final hours in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center had one minute of footage missing, and forensic experts concluded that the clip had been 'modified,' adding fuel to the fire. While the memo said the government's highest priority was combatting child exploitation, it added: 'Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.' Right-wing conspiracy theories and renewed suspicions of a cover-up went into overdrive over this retreat by Bondi. Former Trump adviser Bannon questioned if the administration is really as transparent as it claims to be. Loomer called on Bondi to resign 'for lying to the American people,' a call echoed by fellow MAGA influencer Glenn Beck. Podcaster Megyn Kelly called Bondi 'either lazy or incompetent,' and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones accused the Trump administration of being part of the cover-up. July 8 — Trump tries to deflect while Bondi attempts clean-up In a Cabinet meeting on July 8, with reporters present, Trump interrupted a question on the topic, saying: 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking — we have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable.' Bondi then clarified her past comments on the case: 'In February, I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed, meaning the file along with the JFK, MLK files as well. That's what I meant by that.' Concerning her later comments about the 'tens of thousands' of videos, she said that they had 'turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein.' Musk once again joined the conversation, posting on X: 'How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won't release the Epstein files?' The former DOGE administrator also claimed, with no evidence, that his nemesis, Bannon, was in the files. July 11 — Bongino's future in doubt The most public split within the Trump administration emerged between Bondi and Bongino, with the deputy FBI director expressing dissatisfaction with how the memo had been released. He told allies that he may resign as the storm over the memo continued within MAGA world. According to reports, the two had a fiery confrontation with Bongino attacking Bondi for her handling of the situation. To try and diffuse speculation about infighting within the administration, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on X that he had personally worked with both Bongino and Patel on the memo. 'All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions stated in the memo,' Blanche wrote. 'The suggestion by anyone that there was any daylight between the FBI and DOJ leadership on this memo's composition and release is patently false.' This provoked an angry response from Loomer, who asked why no one had signed their name on the memo, speculating that the FBI had wanted to release more information and Bondi — whom she refers to as 'Blondi' — had refused. 'Blondi is literally blowing up the Trump admin by concealing information, spending time on Fox News lying to MAGA base and by releasing contradictory statements,' wrote Loomer on X. July 12 — Trump defends Bondi amid continuing MAGA outrage Only one person could attempt to diffuse internal strife within the administration, and so on Saturday, the president took to Truth Social and, in an extraordinarily lengthy post, defended Bondi amid continued calls for her resignation from his base. Trump praised her for doing a 'fantastic job' and urged his 'boys' and 'gals' in MAGA world to stop attacking her. 'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?'' Trump wrote. 'They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening.' 'We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,' Trump protested. The president's post did little to quell the anger from his base, who continued to call for the release of the files. His first-term national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, wrote on X: '@realdonaldtrump please understand the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away.' He added that failing to address unanswered questions about Epstein would make facing other national challenges 'much harder.' Musk once again commented on X, replying to a post: Seriously. He [Trump] said 'Epstein' half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised.' On the same day, rumors circulated that Patel, like Bongino, was also considering leaving the FBI. The director wrote on X that it is an honor to serve the president and 'I'll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.' The following day, asked about Bongino's future, Trump said he was in 'good shape,' adding: 'I spoke to him today, Dan Bongino, very good guy. I've known him a long time.' Before this, it had been reported that Trump was angry at Bongino over the situation. The president's daughter-in-law appeared to be off-message in terms of tamping down the scandal when she told Bennie Johnson on his podcast that there needed to be 'more transparency' from the administration regarding the Epstein case and that more information would be released 'sooner rather than later.' On the same day, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at a news conference that there were only two things possibly be happening regarding the case. 'Option one, Donald Trump, Pam Bondi, and the MAGA extremists intentionally lied to the American people for years about the Jeffrey Epstein situation,' he said. 'Option two is that, in fact, there's reason for the American people to be concerned as it relates to what information has not been released that could be damaging to the Trump administration and the friends and family of the Trump administration and their billionaire, corrupt supporters. And so, they're actively engaging in a cover-up,' Jeffries continued. He added that if the administration was 'hiding something,' it was up to Congress to 'uncover the truth for the American people.' Later, Texas Democratic Rep. Marc Beasey introduced a resolution calling for the immediate release of all unclassified Epstein Files. That echoed calls from MAGA Republicans. 'America deserves the truth about Jeffrey Epstein and the rich powerful elites in his circle,' Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X Monday. Nevertheless, House Republicans blocked another Democrat push to force the Trump administration to release the 'FULL' Epstein files. Seizing on growing MAGA infighting, California Representative Ro Khanna introduced an amendment to the GENIUS Act on Monday, calling on Bondi to compile and release all Epstein records within 30 days. Late Monday evening, the House Rules Committee voted 7–5 to block the proposal from reaching the lower chamber. July 15 — Trump says Bondi should release 'whatever she thinks is credible' On Tuesday, with the scandal refusing to die down, Trump told reporters on the South Lawn that Bondi should release 'whatever she thinks is credible' on Epstein. When asked if Bondi had informed him that his name appeared in the file, the president said no and that he had received a 'very quick briefing' on the review of the Epstein files before the release of the memo a week earlier. 'And in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen, and I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden -- and you know, we and we went through years of that with the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, with all of the different things that we had to go through,' Trump said. 'We've gone through years of it, but she's handled it very well, and it's going to be up to her,' Trump said of Bondi. 'Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.'
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Republicans move to block Democratic effort to force release of Epstein files
Republican lawmakers have moved to block a Democratic effort to force the release of the so-called Epstein files, a near-mythological trove of undisclosed information about the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein at the center of an internal political war among US conservatives. Democrats had been pressing for an amendment to cryptocurrency legislation that would have forced the release of information and exhibits itemized in a list of evidence held by the justice department from the 2019 child sex-trafficking case against the disgraced financier Epstein. Donald Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, teased a full accounting of the Epstein evidence, including a purported client list earlier this year. But 10 days ago, she changed course when she announced that the Trump administration had reviewed the evidence, concluded that Epstein had indeed killed himself in jail, and decided not to release the contents that the justice department said included a thousand hours of video depicting child sexual abuse. That set off a firestorm within Trump's conspiracy-minded 'Make America great again' (Maga) movement that the president has since tried to calm. Democrats had weighed in on the issue, hoping to force a release of the documents. 'The question with Epstein is: Whose side are you on?' California Democratic US House member Ro Khanna, the author of the Epstein measure, told Axios. 'Are you on the side of the rich and powerful, or are you on the side of the people?' Khanna promised to introduce the amendment 'again and again and again'. But Republicans on the US House rules committee voted down the amendment that would have allowed Congress to vote on whether the evidence – which includes micro cassettes, DVDs, CDs including one labelled 'girl pics nude book 4', computer hard drives and three massage tables in green, beige and brown – should be released. Yet the federal case against Epstein, which dates back to 2005 and involves a mysterious plea deal that allowed to the financier to plead guilty to Florida state charges of solicitation of a minor, continues to challenge what political hardliners on the right and left believe is evidence of a nefarious nexus of international power. The debacle has pitted Bondi and Trump – who was friends with Epstein, his Florida neighbor for many years, before disowning him – against the deputy FBI director, Dan Bongino. Bongino reportedly clashed with Bondi over the Epstein case and considered resigning as Maga megaphones including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Megyn Kelly have called for the release of the Epstein files. In 2023, Bongino said on his rightwing podcast: 'That Jeffrey Epstein story is a big deal. Please do not let that story go. Keep your eye on it.' The Daily Beast reported that Trump is furious at Bongino, who has not shown up for work since 9 July after a shouting match erupted between him and Bondi. Trump has sided with Bondi, leaving Bongino's future at the FBI open to question, and the vice-president, JD Vance, was evidently called in to mediate, according to CNN. Those developments unfolded as a recent CNN poll found that half of Americans are dissatisfied with the amount of information the government has released on Epstein's case. The poll found that Democrats and independents were relatively equal in the sense of dissatisfaction (at 56% and 52%, respectively) – but Republicans polled at 40% dissatisfaction. Just 3% of those polled said they were satisfied with the amount of Epstein-related information released by the government. On Monday, the drama turned to the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted co-conspirator in the sex-trafficking case, who has appealed to the US supreme court to uphold a non-prosecution agreement contained in Epstein's Florida plea deal. The US justice department petitioned the court to deny Maxwell, 63, who is serving a 20-year sentence, the request. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion 'I'd be surprised if President Trump knew his lawyers were asking the supreme court to let the government break a deal,' Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement emailed to the Guardian. 'He's the ultimate dealmaker – and I'm sure he'd agree that when the United States gives its word, it should keep it. With all the talk about who's being prosecuted and who isn't, it's especially unfair that Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison based on a promise the government made and broke.' But Congress could now call on Maxwell to testify. Citing anonymous sources, the Daily Mail reported on Monday that Maxwell is interested in doing that. In some circumstances, under federal rule 35, a convicted felon can negotiate a reduction in sentence in exchange for cooperation. Nonetheless, the government has shown little interest in doing that, especially when Maxwell was maintaining her innocence and appealing her conviction. Prosecutors made clear at the time that they considered the case closed and would not go after lesser alleged figures in the sex-trafficking conspiracy. 'It all depends on who she would be cooperating against, and what she has to offer,' defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman told the Guardian after Maxwell's conviction in 2021. 'I would not be surprised if she had already tried to cooperate and it had failed. 'Of all the people supposedly involved with Epstein, 99% of them never made it into the government's evidence,' Lichtman added, venturing that the government may have been trying 'to avoid any frolic by the jury – that they'd get distracted by the bold-face names – but many people didn't get prosecuted here when it seems like they could have'.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump has new threat for 'low IQ' AOC after her most recent 'smear campaign'
President Donald Trump has responded after Democratic socialist darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacked him about his reluctance to release the FBI's files on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. A reporter asked Trump at the White House whether he had a comment on AOC's upcoming planned meeting with NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, whom the president has called a 'radical' and a 'communist.' 'AOC — look, I think she's very nice but she's very Low IQ and we really don't need low IQ,' Trump told members of the media at the White House on Tuesday. 'Between her and Crockett, we're going to give them both an IQ test to see who comes out best,' the president added. Ocasio-Cortez made headlines for unhinged remarks she posted on social media earlier this week regarding Trump's administration failure to release the full Epstein files. AOC jumped into the growing online fury at Trump, accusing him of being a 'rapist' and alleging it's the real reason he has not released the files. 'Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?' she wrote sarcastically on X. Last week, DOJ and FBI leaked an unsigned memo concluding convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in prison in August 2019 and did not hold a 'client list' of high-profile co-conspirators. The memo said that no more people would be arrested, charged or convicted in the Epstein child sex trafficking case, which angered some in the MAGA base. . @POTUS: "AOC — look, I think she's very nice but she's very Low IQ and we really don't need low IQ. Between her and Crockett, we're going to give them both an IQ test to see who comes out best." 😂🤣 — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 15, 2025 Trump was found liable of sexually abusing author E. Jean Carroll in a 2023 civil trial. He was not, however, found liable of rape - a distinction the New York Democrat did not make in her post. Conservative X users were quick to jump to the president's defense comparing AOC's comments to remarks made by ABC host George Stephanopoulos, which led to Trump suing for defamation and eventually winning $15 million. South Carolina GOP Congresswoman Nancy Mace called AOC's remarks a 'smear campaign.' 'She should lawyer up. Truth still matters, even if the Left's forgotten. We're not done fighting. Not even close,' Mace added. Former Fox News Contributor and present DOJ Senior Counsel Leo Terrell wrote on his personal X account that 'President Trump has a perfect defamation case against non-lawyer @AOC.' 'I suggest she obtained a second job as a bartender. She will need a lawyer,' Terrell added. Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin wrote: 'Why didn't you guys release the Epstein files over the last 4 years? Maybe you were too busy covering for Joe Biden… or, could it have something to do with another former Democrat President?' in his own reply to Ocasio-Cortez. Conservative commentator Joe Concha wrote on X that 'the congresswoman is absolutely begging to get sued for defamation…' referencing the ABC suit. Trump's MAGA base is still fuming that the Epstein files have not been entirely released to the public. Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi last week was forced to retract her statement that the files were 'sitting on my desk' and instead told the American people that there was, in fact, no 'client list.' The DOJ also released last week a video showing the outside of Epstein's cell at the Manhattan jail where he allegedly hanged himself. Ex-Fox personality turned independent journalist Carlson is one the biggest voices sowing division in Trump's MAGA-right. During a speech at Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit this weekend, Carlson went after the Trump admin for the alleged Epstein 'cover-up.' Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly, a one-time Trump enemy turned ally during the 2024 election wrote on X that she was 'sure it's a relief for Pam Bondi to hear the president is still in her corner.' But, she added: 'Huge swaths of the party are not. She repeatedly misled on Epstein. Then didn't have the courage to explain herself. Suddenly, she's camera shy & no Qs allowed. Good luck!' Steve Bannon, one of Trump's fiercest media allies, suggested at the Turning Point conference in Tampa that the so-called Deep State would block the president from going near the Epstein files. 'Epstein is a key that picks the lock on so many things, not just individuals, but also Institutions, Intelligence, Institutions, Foreign Governments, and who was working with him on our Intelligence Apparatus and in our Government,' Bannon said. FBI head Kash Patel and deputy Dan Bongino are both ready to call it quits if Attorney General Pam Bondi keeps her job after the debacle over releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bongino, the FBI's deputy director, made the ultimatum after an epic clash with Bondi on Wednesday over the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the Daily Mail revealed this week. The rift was so bad that Bongino took the day off work on Friday, leading some to think that he had already left his post. Meanwhile, Trump's congressional allies are doing their best to play both sides on the issue of Epstein, hoping to remain in the good graces of both Trump and his base, which is undoubtedly splintering. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the most MAGA-aligned voices on the right said during an appearance on Real America's Voice (RAV) last week that she for one wasn't buying that there wasn't more to the Epstein story. 'I think the Department of Justice and the FBI has more explaining to do. This is Jeffrey Epstein; this is the most famous pedophile in modern-day history,' Taylor Greene told RAV. 'And people are absolutely not going to accept just a memo that was written that says there is no client list,' Taylor Greene concluded. Noting that some MAGA influencers have gone off the rails, Wexler told the Daily Mail 'that they're turning the party into what I told my friends the Republican Party wasn't for the last two decades, and now we actually are, like, they're just turning the party into exactly what my liberal friends said we are.' Now, Trump has to sail the rough seas of his own making. In a post to his Truth Social platform this weekend, Trump tried his best to push for unity in the MAGA camp. 'We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,' Trump wrote. He added that America should 'not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody nobody cares about.'
