Despite Democrats’ hopes, the Epstein files saga won’t separate Trump from his base. Trump’s supporters have stuck with him through far worse over the last 10 years. Not only have they “stuck,” they have increased in number and intensity. Only Democrats’ delusions — and desperate need — lead them to believe Trump’s supporters won’t “stick” now.
The Jeffrey Epstein files are perfect headline fodder: salacious scandal involving famous men and underage girls. Epstein’s suspicious suicide in jail prevented all the dirty laundry from getting washed in public.
How much more dirty laundry exists is beside the point: The public wants to see more and wants it so badly they’re convinced it exists. Further, Attorney General Pam Bondi raised expectations. In such a case as Epstein’s, raised expectations only leads to public disappointment… and to Democrat opportunity.
But while there can’t be a definitive verdict on files we haven’t yet seen, there can be one on Trump and his base. They will stay with Trump.
Trump was, is, and will forever be a divisive political figure. Yet this fact only elevates his political accomplishments.
In 2016, Trump won the Republican nomination in a tightly contested field. In 2020, Trump was the incumbent and there was no contest. In 2024 again, there was no contest. Trump is the only candidate to win three consecutive major party presidential nominations since FDR did so in 1944.
In his three presidential campaigns — the only three campaigns for elective office he has ever run — he has won two. After the first, Trump increased his popular vote and his percentage of the popular vote each time. Even FDR did not do that.
What Trump overcame in accomplishing these feats elevates them even further. In his first presidential run, he was dismissed and disparaged by opponents and the establishment media. He was also outspent 2–1. He still won.
During his first term, he had notable setbacks: He didn’t repeal and replace Obamacare; Republicans lost the House in 2018; Trump’s administration was dogged by countless House investigations over its last two years; and Trump was impeached twice. If Tulsi Gabbard’s charges are true that the Obama administration knowingly targeted him with a false Russia collusion hoax, this only added to Trump’s headwinds.
In 2020, he campaigned during a global pandemic, national lockdowns, an economy crushed between both, and nationwide civil unrest. Again, he was outspent. Still, Trump nearly won and even in defeat increased his popular votes and popular vote percentage rose.
In 2024, Trump overcame having lost in 2020; he was the first major party candidate to be nominated after a loss since Nixon in 1968, and the first to be renominated directly following his loss since Adlai Stevenson in 1956 (Democrats’ second-time sacrificial lamb against Eisenhower).
Trump overcame Democrats’ lawfare intended to disqualify or cripple him. They did neither. He again received overwhelmingly negative coverage from the establishment media and was overwhelmingly outspent. He was called a “fascist” and a “threat to democracy.” He was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Still, Trump beat two opponents — the sitting president and sitting vice president, another presidential first. Trump not only increased his popular vote total and percentage; he won his biggest presidential victory yet.
Over 10 years, Trump has forged an incredible and undeniable record. He has also forged an enduring link with his base. The Epstein files simply do not measure up to what Trump has repeatedly faced.
First, Trump asked for the grand jury testimony to be released. The request’s denial doesn’t diminish the risk that it could have been granted — a huge risk to take if there was something to hide.
Second, Epstein’s attorney, Alan Dershowitz says there’s no client list. Dershowitz had every incentive to use the material for Epstein’s benefit if there was something there. He didn’t.
Third, the DOJ is interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell. Imprisoned and with Epstein dead, if she has any information, she has every reason to divulge it.
Fourth and most important, the Biden administration had access to everything for four years. This administration went to every length to hide Biden’s incapacity, and his campaign did everything to discredit revelations about Hunter Biden’s laptop. The Biden administration attacked Trump relentlessly and had an establishment media that ran with even the barest hint of evidence. Yet the Biden administration, when it had full control over them, didn’t use the Epstein files against Trump.
Understandably, Democrats seizing on the Epstein files and the establishment media is eagerly fanning the flames. They are because they need a distraction — something, anything — to stop Trump’s momentum.
Overwhelmed, they are leaderless and rudderless. Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Jeffries are overmatched by the moment. Zohran Mamdani’s radical run in NYC and Omar Fateh’s equally extremist one in Minneapolis threaten to marginalize the party even more and widen further already yawning intraparty fissures.
As Democrats struggle to reconstruct, they want Trump to self-destruct. It happened once before, when Nixon rescued them from their self-inflicted, extremist abyss half a century ago. However, this isn’t then; Trump isn’t Nixon; and Democrats are more extreme McGovern ever was.
J.T. Young is the author of the recent book, Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed America’s Socialist Left from RealClear Publishing and has over three decades’ experience working in Congress, the Department of Treasury, the Office of Management, and Budget, and representing a Fortune 20 company.
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