President Donald Trump is lashing out against his supporters for being upset that his administration will not release documents related to deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump accused Republicans of being duped by Democrats regarding the Epstein files and likened the situation to false claims of collusion between his 2016 campaign and Russia.
“Republicans, certain Republicans, got duped by the Democrats and they’re following a Democrat playbook. No different than Russia, Russia, Russia and all the other hoaxes. They’re started by the Democrats and some Republicans, in this case I was surprised, but they got duped,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.
Trump also lashed out on Truth Social and suggested the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” is the latest Democratic attack meant to bring him down. He has attempted to redirect the conversation to his administration’s record over the first six months of his second term, but the Epstein files remains top of mind.
Trump has made similar comments in recent days due to backlash from the MAGA movement after the Trump administration concluded there was no Epstein “client list” and no evidence he blackmailed global elites involved with his sex trafficking operation.
It is an unusually long, tense standoff between Trump and his fervently loyal base.
The Trump administration determined that Epstein killed himself in his New York City jail cell in 2019, a controversial finding because of the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death. Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he died in jail.
Trump promised repeatedly during the 2024 campaign to declassify any files related to Jeffrey Epstein, including his suspected client list. FBI Director Kash Patel also demanded the Epstein list be released in prior interviews before assuming the role.
Earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed she had Epstein’s client list “on her desk” in a widely discussed interview. Bondi clarified her remarks last week, saying she was referring to the administration’s assessment of the Epstein case, not a list of his clients. MAGA influencers have lashed out against the administration for its approach to the Epstein case, with most of the blame being put on Bondi’s shoulders.
Bondi previously hosted a group of MAGA influencers to announce the declassification of a batch of Epstein files in February. The documents largely contained information that was already revealed from past litigation and investigations.
Due to litigation, documents and extensive reporting, Epstein’s high-profile friends and associates are known to the public. Among them are former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Prince Andrew, billionaire businessman Les Wexner, private equity billionaire Leon Black, and banker Jes Staley.
Trump has been pictured with Epstein and listed on his flight logs for multiple trips in the 1990s, but no victims have accused Trump of wrongdoing. Epstein recorded his contacts in flight logs and a “little black book” throughout his life, but it is unclear if he ever had a single “client list” of people.
Democrats have attempted to seize on the Epstein files scandal and attack Trump for the administration’s lack of transparency. House Republicans have blocked two attempts from Democrats to push the Trump administration to release the documents. Democratic lawmakers have also called for Justice Department officials to testify about the files.
Fixation on Epstein’s sex trafficking activities and list of associates has been a fixture of online anti-establishment discourse in recent years. Comedian Joe Rogan and many other podcasters and influencers have expressed interest in learning more details about Epstein’s death and ties to business and political elites. Most of those figures have indulged conspiracy theories on unrelated topics and gravitated towards Trump in the 2024 election because of his populist bona fides.