Many of Donald Trump’s supporters appear to be distancing themselves from their MAGA loyalty over his associations with disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Thursday, the Trump administration attempted to play off their handling of the Epstein files, including his so-called ‘client-list’, as a “hoax”. This is despite the administration previously promising to release the content of the files to the public.
Trump loyalist Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, broke with the president on Tuesday, calling for the justice department to make more Epstein documents public. Johnson also urged Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, to explain the situation, as she had earlier claimed she had the client list of Epstein’s before backtracking and declaring the list doesn’t exist.
It seems Trump’s allies aren’t convinced, as even his former vice-president, Mike Pence told CBS News on Wednesday that he thinks “the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution”.
A close advisor to Trump and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer called for the appointment of a special counsel to handle the Epstein files investigation, saying “obviously, this is not a complete hoax given the fact that [Epstein associate] Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in prison in Florida for her crimes and activities with Jeffrey Epstein, who we know is a convicted sexual predator”.
Some Trump supporters have recorded videos burning their signature MAGA hats, with a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showing close to seven in 10 Americans believe details around Epstein are being concealed.
Countless photos of Trump standing alongside Epstein have been circulating online in recent weeks, as people continue to point out the pair’s clear history and association.
“There are more pictures of Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein than there are trans athletes in the NCAA, by multiples,” Former Senator Claire McCaskill told MSNBC this week, referring to the Republican’s heavy agenda against transgender people in sport.
Ahead of the US president’s scheduled trip to the UK in September, a poster of Trump and Epstein has been put up in London. A video shared by political campaign group Everybody Hates Elon on Thursday shows a demonstrator installing the image at a bus stop close to the US embassy.
“It would be such a shame for Donald if this photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein appeared absolutely EVERYWHERE on his tour of the UK,” the group said.
On Wednesday, Trump addressed the MAGA backlash calling Republicans “foolish” and claiming they were helping Democrats by focusing on the Epstein files.
“Some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net, and so they try and do the Democrats’ work,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with the crown prince of Bahrain.
“I call it the Epstein hoax. Takes a lot of time and effort. Instead of talking about the great achievements we’ve had … they’re wasting their time with a guy who obviously had some very serious problems, who died three, four years ago.”
On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported a new detail about Trump’s relationship to Epstein following an announcement by the Justice Department that it would not release background materials from the investigation of the accused sex trafficker.
According to the newspaper, the letter signed by Trump, next to a drawing of a naked woman, wishes Epstein a happy birthday and tells him, “may every day be another wonderful secret”.