The President of the United States is facing the wrath of his core supporters over his administration’s scandalous about-turn on the ‘Jeffrey Epstein Files’.
Influential voices in the movement, which helped him win the presidential election last year, are outraged that Trump’s team is refusing to disclose more information on Epstein, the convicted sex offender and financier who allegedly committed suicide in his prison cell in 2019.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI concluded there was no evidence that Epstein blackmailed powerful figures nor kept a “list of clients”.
The powerful agencies also dismissed speculation that he was murdered in prison to cover up the damning links.
To support this, the Trump administration released surveillance footage from a camera positioned near Epstein’s prison cell on the night he died.
The nearly 11-hour-long video supports a medical examiner’s findings that Epstein died by suicide. But it has what has been described as a questionable “missing minute”.
Authorities have tried to explain the lost 60 seconds to an old surveillance recording system that shuts down and renews the process each midnight. But of course, not everyone is buying this.
Maga partisans have flooded social media with doubts about the findings and the video.
They have also questioned the integrity of Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI chief Kash Patel and deputy director Dan Bongino, all long-time allies of Trump before they joined the administration.
The findings represent the first time that Trump’s administration officially contradicted conspiracy theories about Epstein’s activities and his death, which were also pushed by Patel and Bongino themselves.
“As trusted voices like @FBIDDBongino, @FBIDirectorKash, and @AGPamBondi align with the official story, many are asking: Who’s still willing to demand real answers?” Mike Lindell, a Trump ally and owner of LindellTV, asked on X.
Right-wing influencer Rogan O’Handley, popularly known as DC Draino, wrote: “Assuming this leaked Epstein Files memo is true, then we all know this is a shameful cover-up to protect the most heinous elites.”
In February, Bondi released more than 100 pages of documents related to Epstein, although much of the information was already publicly available. She also pledged to “release a lot of information.”
The disclosed files included flight logs, a redacted book of contacts and an evidence list that made up part of the investigation.
Epstein spent decades running an operation that allowed him and other people – including allegedly high-profile personalities – to sexually abuse children.
The list of names released in February included alleged victims, their accusers and people linked to Epstein’s civil or criminal lawsuits against him and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking.
Both former president Bill Clinton and Trump have been named in connection to Epstein because they travelled on his executive jet to Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James, in the US Virgin Islands.
Neither had been formally accused of wrongdoing and have denied any involvement.
Among the other notable names mentioned in the document is the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew, brother of King Charles III, who was also listed on the flight logs.
Trump was listed on the flights and also in Epstein’s logbook along with Marla Maples, his former wife and their daughter Tiffany.
Also listed were lawyer Alan Dershowitz, another alleged Epstein co-conspirator; the late pop star Michael Jackson; artificial intelligence pioneer Marvin Minsky; British model Naomi Campbell; singer Courtney Love; and English rocker and frontman of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger.
Understandably, the delayed and limited release of files has fuelled speculation about a cover-up, especially since Bondi had promised “maximum transparency” earlier.
According to LabNews Media, an independent website covering analysis, biotechnology and life sciences, the reluctance could be linked to the files containing information incriminating Trump or other influential individuals.
Billionaire Elon Musk, a former Trump ally, sparked controversy when he alleged on X last month that the President was mentioned in the unreleased files.
Although he provided no evidence and later deleted the post, the statement fuelled much conjecture about Trump’s involvement and possible blackmail.
The theory, as reported by LabNews, is that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad could have blackmailed Trump, based on a combination of surmise, unconfirmed allegations and the complex relationship between Epstein, prominent figures and international power structures.
Its analysis shed light on the background supporting this, examining Mossad’s possible motives and the likelihood of such blackmail, considering available evidence and counterarguments.
Epstein and Trump’s relationship is well documented, as they socialised regularly in the 1980s and 1990s and attended parties at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Epstein reportedly flew Trump on several occasions in his private jet, which was also known as the ‘Lolita Express’.
In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump described Epstein as a “great guy” who was fun to be with, mentioning that Epstein preferred “beautiful women” who “tend to be younger”.
However, after Epstein’s arrest in 2019, Trump distanced himself, stating that he “wasn’t a fan” and that their friendship had ended 15 years earlier.
Speculation over the relationship between Epstein and Mossad stems from a wide range of sources.
Former Mossad agent Ari Ben-Menashe claimed in the book Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales that the former financier worked for the Mossad to collect compromising material on influential people.
The speculation is that Epstein and his girlfriend ran a “honey-trap” operation through which they provided young girls to prominent politicians from around the world for sex and used this to blackmail them to get information for Israeli intelligence.
However, such speculation has been dismissed by former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett.
Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan agrees with this observation by John le Carre: “Blackmail is more effective than bribery.” The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
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