US Politics
White House claims that the uproar over the Epstein files has slowed: ‘Very small segment of the base’
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White House officials say much of the public criticism over the administration’s handling of the Epstein Files is slowing down, and only a “very small segment” of President Donald Trump’s base remains disgruntled over it.
Weeks after the president attempted to divert attention away from the Epstein Files and the Department of Justice and FBI released a memo shutting down any long-held conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein, the White House is now thinking about its next step in the saga.
Officials and Trump’s top allies outside of the administration had been fielding angry phone calls from supporters, but that has mostly ceased now, according to the Washington Post
“I wouldn’t say it’s blown over,” an unnamed senior White House official told the Post on Wednesday. “It’s one of those things where, with a certain segment of the base, a very small segment of the base, it’s never going to die down, no matter what.”
However, a new poll by by The Economist and YouGov this month suggests that 46 percent of Americans believe Trump “was involved in crimes allegedly committed” by Epstein, compared to 32 percent who say they don’t think the president was criminally linked to Epstein and 23 percent who said they’re not sure.
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Initially, after the administration did a 180º from promising to release undisclosed information about Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was accused of trafficking women and girls in a decades-long scheme, Trump’s loyal MAGA base was outraged.
Even some of the more prominent MAGA supporters, who had long bolstered conspiracy theories about Epstein, were irritated with the administration and called for Trump to release the files.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, ultra-conservative pundit Steve Bannon, influencer Charlie Kirk, and more had initially expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s quick claim that no “client list” existed and Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in federal jail.
But an unnamed Trump ally told the Post that the Wall Street Journal article claiming Trump sent a “bawdy” 50th birthday letter to Epstein actually helped the situation by taming supporters’ outrage because it prompted Trump to take action.
After the article reignited concerns about Trump’s relationship with Epstein, Trump denied ever sending the birthday card and sued the Journal for $10 billion. He also directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to request grand jury testimony from the government’s investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also made a public show by going to Florida, where Maxwell is serving a 20-year-to-life sentence for sex trafficking, to interview her about others who may have been involved in Epstein’s crimes.
The unnamed Trump ally said it was “enough of a bone to stop people from freaking out.”
The Independent has asked the White House for comment.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Being named in the files does not suggest any wrongdoing and Trump has not been accused, or charged with any crime related to the Epstein case. The White House also dubbed the WSJ report “fake news.”
Even some of those who initially were angry at the administration appear to have backed Trump after the Journal article.
Kirk, who initially called for Trump to release the files, quickly backed the president, claiming he did not believe the Journal’s report was genuine.
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Bannon, who also called for an investigation into the files, rallied behind Trump for “striking back” against the Journal.
The White House appears cognizant that the drama around the Epstein Files has not disappeared completely – and that the small number of outraged supporters still matters.
Recent polling from the Post and Quinnipiac University shows that a majority of Americans believe the president should release the Epstein Files. Among those who self-identified MAGA Republicans, 82 percent said Trump should release the files.
“We’re not just sitting on our hands,” the unnamed senior White House official told the Post. “There are things happening that are not public. Just because they’re not public doesn’t mean things aren’t happening.”