President Donald Trump has unleashed a firestorm within his ranks, slamming loyal MAGA supporters for chasing what he calls a Democratic-fabricated “hoax” surrounding Jeffrey Epstein.
The Daily Mail reported that Trump has accused some Republicans in his base of falling for a four-year-old narrative pushed by Democrats, while tensions rise over the Epstein case and other policy divides among his followers.
Decades ago, Trump socialized with Epstein in Palm Beach during the 1980s and 1990s, and records show his name on flight logs for Epstein’s private plane.
This past connection has fueled questions, though Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from the late financier.
Epstein’s death on Aug. 10, 2019, ruled a suicide by hanging after being found unconscious in his cell, continues to stir debate among conservatives.
Many in Trump’s base, including figures like FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, have pushed theories that Epstein was murdered and held a secret list of clients.
Trump, however, isn’t buying it, declaring, “He’s dead. He’s gone.” That blunt dismissal shows a leader fed up with revisiting a ghost from the past when there are bigger policy battles to fight.
Just this month, the Justice Department and FBI released a memo reaffirming the suicide ruling and denying the existence of any client list tied to a child sex trafficking ring. Yet, skepticism persists among MAGA diehards, creating a rift that Trump seems determined to squash.
Over the past week-and-a-half, Trump has doubled down, urging his supporters to drop the Epstein obsession and focus on his administration’s achievements. “Let's keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about,” he insisted. It’s a classic Trump move—redirecting the narrative to what he sees as the real fight against a progressive agenda.
Trump points the finger squarely at Democrats, claiming figures like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and John Brennan concocted the Epstein controversy to destabilize his movement.
“They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier,” he posted on Truth Social. Sounds like a familiar playbook, and Trump’s not wrong to call out the left’s knack for political theater.
But here’s the rub: Trump also scolds some Republicans for playing into Democratic hands. “Certain Republicans got duped by the Democrats,” he told reporters, frustrated that his party isn’t marching lockstep. It’s a rare public jab at his allies, showing just how deep this fracture runs.
High-profile supporters like Patel and Bongino haven’t received Trump’s backing on this issue, unlike Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom he praised and authorized to release any credible Epstein documents.
“Whatever is credible, she can release,” Trump said, signaling trust in Bondi while sidestepping others. That selective support raises eyebrows about who’s truly on Team MAGA.
Even cultural voices are weighing in, with podcaster Andrew Schulz expressing disillusionment over Trump’s handling of the matter. “I wanted something different,” Schulz lamented, echoing a sentiment among some conservatives hoping for transparency over dismissal. It’s a reminder that blind loyalty isn’t guaranteed, even among Trump’s fiercest backers.
Trump’s irritation boiled over during a cabinet meeting just a week ago when he brushed off a reporter’s question as a “desecration.” That sharp rebuke shows a man tired of defending against shadows when his focus is on dismantling what he sees as woke overreach. But ignoring the question doesn’t make it disappear for his base.
On Truth Social, Trump didn’t hold back, blasting supporters who persist with Epstein theories as “weaklings” doing the Democrats’ bidding. “Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats' work,” he wrote, practically daring dissenters to walk away. It’s a risky gamble—alienating the very people who’ve carried his banner.
Yet, Trump insists his administration is “perfect” and shouldn’t be undermined by what he calls selfish distractions over a man long gone. “We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening,” he posted, pleading for unity while swinging a rhetorical hammer. For a movement built on defiance, this internal clash over Epstein might be the toughest test yet of Trump’s hold over his coalition.