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How Trump and MAGA Fans Are Talking About the Epstein Case

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How Trump and MAGA Fans Are Talking About the Epstein Case

The crimes and death of Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, have long fed conspiracy theories among some of President Trump’s most ardent supporters.

Their interest has reached a crescendo over the past week, after the Trump administration abruptly reversed course on its pledge to disclose previously unknown details about the investigation into Mr. Epstein. In an unsigned memo, the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said their investigation turned up no evidence that Mr. Epstein kept a “client list” or blackmailed notable people, and confirmed that Mr. Epstein died by suicide.

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Nearly all of the influential right-wing figures speaking out about the case seem to agree that more information needs to be released. Their demands are often accompanied by blame for mishandling the case, aimed at a wide array of figures they deem responsible.

Here is a breakdown of where the president and more than 30 of his most prominent supporters have fallen on the issue, as of Wednesday afternoon.

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Viewpoint: The Justice Department’s investigation was complete, and no further action is necessary.

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  • Attorney General Pam Bondi
  • Deputy F.B.I. Director Dan Bongino
  • F.B.I. Director Kash Patel
  • President Trump

This is the official stance of the Justice Department itself — as well as the F.B.I., which falls under its purview — as indicated in the memo released last week. The memo was unsigned, but those who have been expected to answer for it have included Attorney General Pam Bondi, F.B.I. Director Kash Patel and his deputy director, Dan Bongino.

Last year, before Mr. Trump was re-elected, Mr. Bongino had cast doubt over the case, saying, “I don’t trust any story they tell me about Jeffrey Epstein. There is a reason this client list is hidden.” The Epstein case also gave rise to an angry confrontation between Ms. Bondi and Mr. Bongino, according to officials close to the situation.

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Mr. Trump himself has also attempted to turn down the volume on the topic, defending Ms. Bondi in a post on Truth Social that encouraged readers to “not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.” Many of the thousands of replies to Mr. Trump’s Truth Social post overwhelmingly disagreed with him — a rarity on the president’s own platform.

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What’s going on with my “boys” and, in some cases, “gals?” They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and “selfish people” are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, 51 “Intelligence” Agents, “THE LAPTOP FROM HELL,” and more? They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called “friends” are playing right into their hands. Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it? They haven’t even given up on the John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. Files. No matter how much success we have had, securing the Border, deporting Criminals, fixing the Economy, Energy Dominance, a Safer World where Iran will not have Nuclear Weapons, it’s never enough for some people. We are about to achieve more in 6 months than any other Administration has achieved in over 100 years, and we have so much more to do. We are saving our Country and, MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, which will continue to be our complete PRIORITY. The Left is imploding! Kash Patel, and the FBI, must be focused on investigating Voter Fraud, Political Corruption, ActBlue, The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020, and arresting Thugs and Criminals, instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein. LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT! The 2020 Election was Rigged and Stolen, and they tried to do the same thing in 2024 — That’s what she is looking into as AG, and much more. One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World. Let’s keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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Despite the overall reaction to Mr. Trump’s post, at least one of his influential supporters seemed satisfied with the official narrative. Dinesh D’Souza, a right-wing commentator who directed a film that spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, agreed with Mr. Trump that it was “time to focus on more pressing matters.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump reiterated that he did not understand the fascination with Mr. Epstein, but also said Ms. Bondi should release “whatever she thinks is credible” on the case. On Wednesday, he went even further and said he no longer wanted the support of those who believed what he called the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”

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Viewpoint: The Trump administration is responsible for a perceived lack of transparency about the Epstein case.

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  • Representative Mark Alford
  • Glenn Beck
  • Representative Tim Burchett
  • Representative Eric Burlison
  • Representative Kat Cammack
  • Tucker Carlson
  • Mike Cernovich
  • Representative Eli Crane
  • Dinesh D’Souza
  • Michael Flynn
  • Representative Marjorie Taylor
  • Benny Johnson
  • Speaker Mike Johnson
  • Alex Jones
  • Senator John Kennedy
  • Charlie Kirk
  • Laura Loomer
  • Representative Anna Paulina Luna
  • Representative Nancy Mace
  • Rogan O’Handley (DC Draino)
  • Jack Posobiec
  • Chad Prather
  • Representative Keith Self
  • Matt Walsh
  • Liz Wheeler

The initial backlash among many of the MAGA faithful, including Republican elected officials and right-wing media figures and other influencers, focused primarily on Ms. Bondi, who had already lost credibility with the base after previously hyping a release of documents related to the Epstein case that ultimately revealed little new information.

Mr. Trump himself mostly dodged their opprobrium. (Last month, though, some renewed interest in the Epstein case came after Elon Musk’s messy falling-out with the president culminated in Mr. Musk accusing Mr. Trump, in a now-deleted post on X, of being named in the F.B.I.’s files.)

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In the days since, many of Mr. Trump’s supporters have remained quick to criticize the administration’s stance that there’s nothing left to uncover regarding the Epstein case while stopping short of calling out or blaming the president himself.

Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer, has long called on Ms. Bondi to resign while absolving Mr. Trump of any responsibility.

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Metadata Shows the FBI’s ‘Raw’ Jeffrey Epstein Prison Video Was Likely Modified

More of a reason for Blondi to resign.

She should just be FIRED.

Trump can like her, but surely he knows she’s bringing him chaos.

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She is harming his spectacular image.

Charlie Kirk, Jack Posobiec and Benny Johnson, who host popular MAGA podcasts, have all pushed back aggressively on the official narrative, urging more transparency and casting doubt on the Justice Department memo’s contention that there is nothing left to release. Complicating matters, Mr. Kirk also caused a mini-uproar when he told listeners on Monday that he was done talking about the Epstein case and would “trust his friends in the administration.” He later said that his words had been misinterpreted and taken out of context and he has continued to discuss the matter.

Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson said on X that he, Mr. Kirk and other “powerful MAGA voices” should be credited with moving the administration to change its approach.

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Just got off the phone with top federal law enforcement contact. The change in approach to Epstein has been dramatic. Expect more disclosures. Some very powerful people inside Admin are now pushing for a Special Counsel and a full press briefing on Epstein findings.

Important to note, this drastic change happened after @charliekirk11 and a number of other powerful MAGA Voices pushed back on the handling of the Epstein case this weekend at the Turning Point conference. They were met with massive roars and applause from the 7000 gathered that could not be ignored.

In short: Our voices are being heard, power to the people 🇺🇸👊🏼

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Numerous Republican members of Congress have blamed or called for more transparency from Ms. Bondi or other members of the Trump administration, including Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, and Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Mark Alford of Missouri, Keith Self of Texas, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Kat Cammack of Florida, Eli Crane of Arizona, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Tim Burchett of Tennessee. Others in this group include conservative influencers like Rogan O’Handley, Matt Walsh, Glenn Beck, Liz Wheeler, Alex Jones, Chad Prather, Mike Cernovich, Tucker Carlson and Michael T. Flynn.

Viewpoint: Mr. Trump himself bears some share of the responsibility.

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  • Roseanne Barr
  • Tucker Carlson
  • Glenn Beck
  • Mike Cernovich
  • Michael Flynn
  • David Freiheit (Viva Frei)
  • Alex Jones
  • Elon Musk
  • Chad Prather
  • Wayne Allyn Root

Most of Mr. Trump’s biggest supporters are loath to raise questions about his actions, so it is notable that a number of them have called Mr. Trump out directly when it comes to the Epstein case.

Mostly, they have done so delicately and with respectful language, treating their concerns as appeals to the president rather than criticisms of him. For instance, Wayne Allyn Root, a conservative TV and radio host, posted an entreaty to “just release” the files, preceded by hyperbolic praise.

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Trump did something GREAT yesterday…but he still has to deal with Epstein. It’s clear Epstein is not going away. Best 6 months for any president in history. Everything he’s doing is fantastic. Why risk it all on this stupid file? Just release it.

Similarly, Michael T. Flynn, who served as national security adviser for a spell in Mr. Trump’s first administration and remains close to him, urged the president in a post on X to “get ahead of” the public interest in the case, but also assured him that “we want to support every bit of your fight to save America.”

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@realDonaldTrump this is why I said the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away anytime soon. Get ahead of this. We want to support every bit of your fight to save America, none more than me.

CHILDREN WILL NOT BE ABUSED BY ANYONE.

No category nor any class of people should ever get away with abusing CHILDREN.

Enough is enough.

ACCOUNTABILITY is coming either here on earth or at the Gates of Hell, which is where I will be waiting for those who abuse a child.

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For
@LeaderJohnThune
@SpeakerJohnson
Get your troops in line immediately!!!

Others were less measured. Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist and radio host, asked on X, “Why is 47 making the worst moves of his tenure in the last 9 years?” (Mr. Jones has also questioned the administration’s actions and blamed outside forces.) The actress Roseanne Barr, one of Mr. Trump’s most loyal supporters, told the president to “read the damn room.”

Those who have called out Mr. Trump personally also included Elon Musk and David Freiheit, an influencer who goes by the handle Viva Frei, as well as Glenn Beck and the right-wing commentators Mike Cernovich and Chad Prather, who also called for greater transparency from the Justice Department.

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Viewpoint: Forces outside the administration are responsible for gaps in public understanding of the Epstein case.

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  • Steve Bannon
  • Roseanne Barr
  • Representative Tim Burchett
  • Dinesh D’Souza
  • Tucker Carlson
  • Representative. Marjorie Taylor Greene
  • Alex Jones
  • Jack Posobiec
  • Roger Stone
  • President Donald J. Trump

Some of Mr. Trump’s supporters have looked further afield for explanation, opining that Mr. Trump and his administration are not (or are not solely) responsible for the unmet public interest in Mr. Epstein’s case. In many instances, these statements began to look like new conspiracy-theory threads.

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Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Mr. Trump, said without evidence on Sunday that the Justice Department under the Biden administration had destroyed evidence relating to the case.

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When Kash Patel, our FBI Director, tells us there are no Epstein records — even though we saw with our own eyes that DVDs and hard drives were seized from Epstein’s properties — he’s telling us the truth.

I believe that evidence was destroyed by Christopher Wray and Biden’s DOJ.

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Some influential figures blamed both Mr. Trump or his administration and others outside it. Tucker Carlson, for instance, has been critical of Ms. Bondi’s handling of the case and has pushed back against Mr. Trump’s efforts to tamp down on questions. At a public appearance over the weekend, he also strongly implied Mr. Epstein was engaged in spycraft on behalf of the Israeli government. (Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, called Mr. Carlson’s claim “categorically and totally false.”)

Mr. Trump himself has also been pushing unfounded theories about the Epstein files, including saying that they were a fraudulent creation by former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other liberal figures.

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Others advancing theories about entities outside of the administration include Stephen K. Bannon, the Trump adviser turned influential podcast host; Marjorie Taylor Greene; Tim Burchett; Roseanne Barr; Jack Posobiec; and Dinesh D’Souza.

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Video: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

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Video: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

new video loaded: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

transcript

transcript

Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

President Trump did not say exactly how long the the United states would control Venezuela, but said that it could last years.

“How Long do you think you’ll be running Venezuela?” “Only time will tell. Like three months. six months, a year, longer?” “I would say much longer than that.” “Much longer, and, and —” “We have to rebuild. You have to rebuild the country, and we will rebuild it in a very profitable way. We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need. I would love to go, yeah. I think at some point, it will be safe.” “What would trigger a decision to send ground troops into Venezuela?” “I wouldn’t want to tell you that because I can’t, I can’t give up information like that to a reporter. As good as you may be, I just can’t talk about that.” “Would you do it if you couldn’t get at the oil? Would you do it —” “If they’re treating us with great respect. As you know, we’re getting along very well with the administration that is there right now.” “Have you spoken to Delcy Rodríguez?” “I don’t want to comment on that, but Marco speaks to her all the time.”

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President Trump did not say exactly how long the the United states would control Venezuela, but said that it could last years.

January 8, 2026

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Trump calls for $1.5T defense budget to build ‘dream military’

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Trump calls for .5T defense budget to build ‘dream military’

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President Donald Trump called for defense spending to be raised to $1.5 trillion, a 50% increase over this year’s budget. 

“After long and difficult negotiations with Senators, Congressmen, Secretaries, and other Political Representatives, I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday evening. 

“This will allow us to build the “Dream Military” that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.” 

The president said he came up with the number after tariff revenues created a surplus of cash. He claimed the levies were bringing in enough money to pay for both a major boost to the defense budget “easily,” pay down the national debt, which is over $38 trillion, and offer “a substantial dividend to moderate income patriots.”

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SENATE SENDS $901B DEFENSE BILL TO TRUMP AFTER CLASHES OVER BOAT STRIKE, DC AIRSPACE

President Donald Trump called for defense spending to be raised to $1.5 trillion, a 50% increase over this year’s record budget.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The boost likely reflects efforts to fund Trump’s ambitious military plans, from the Golden Dome homeland missile defense shield to a new ‘Trump class’ of battleships.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that the increased budget would cost about $5 trillion from 2027 to 2035, or $5.7 trillion with interest. Tariff revenues, the group found, would cover about half the cost – $2.5 trillion or $3 trillion with interest. 

The Supreme Court is expected to rule in a major case Friday that will determine the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariff strategy.

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CONGRESS UNVEILS $900B DEFENSE BILL TARGETING CHINA WITH TECH BANS, INVESTMENT CRACKDOWN, US TROOP PAY RAISE

This year the defense budget is expected to breach $1 trillion for the first time thanks to a $150 billion reconciliation bill Congress passed to boost the expected $900 billion defense spending legislation for fiscal year 2026. Congress has yet to pass a full-year defense budget for 2026.

Some Republicans have long called for a major increase to defense spending to bring the topline total to 5% of GDP, as the $1.5 trillion budget would do, up from the current 3.5%.

The boost likely reflects efforts to fund Trump’s ambitious military plans, from the Golden Dome homeland missile defense shield to a new ‘Trump class’ of battleships. (Lockheed Martin via Reuters)

Trump has ramped up pressure on Europe to increase its national security spending to 5% of GDP – 3.5% on core military requirements and 1.5% on defense-related areas like cybersecurity and critical infrastructure.

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Trump’s budget announcement came hours after defense stocks took a dip when he condemned the performance rates of major defense contractors. In a separate Truth Social post he announced he would not allow defense firms to buy back their own stocks, offer large salaries to executives or issue dividends to shareholders. 

“Executive Pay Packages in the Defense Industry are exorbitant and unjustifiable given how slowly these Companies are delivering vital Equipment to our Military, and our Allies,” he said. 

“​Defense Companies are not producing our Great Military Equipment rapidly enough and, once produced, not maintaining it properly or quickly.”

U.S. Army soldiers stand near an armored military vehicle on the outskirts of Rumaylan in Syria’s northeastern Hasakeh province, bordering Turkey, on March 27, 2023.  (Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images)

He said that executives would not be allowed to make above $5 million until they build new production plants.

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Stock buybacks, dividends and executive compensation are generally governed by securities law, state corporate law and private contracts, and cannot be broadly restricted without congressional action.

An executive order the White House released Wednesday frames the restrictions as conditions on future defense contracts, rather than a blanket prohibition. The order directs the secretary of war to ensure that new contracts include provisions barring stock buybacks and corporate distributions during periods of underperformance, non-compliance or inadequate production, as determined by the Pentagon.

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Newsom moves to reshape who runs California’s schools under budget plan

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Newsom moves to reshape who runs California’s schools under budget plan

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday unveiled a sweeping proposal to overhaul how California’s education system is governed, calling for structural changes that he said would shift oversight of the Department of Education and redefine the role of the state’s elected schools chief.

The proposal, which is part of Newsom’s state budget plan that will be released Friday, would unify the policymaking State Board of Education with the department, which is responsible for carrying out those policies. The governor said the change would better align education efforts from early childhood through college.

“California can no longer postpone reforms that have been recommended regularly for a century,” Newsom said in a statement. “These critical reforms will bring greater accountability, clarity, and coherence to how we serve our students and schools.”

Few details were provided about how the role of the state superintendent of public instruction would change, beyond a greater focus on fostering coordination and aligning education policy.

The changes would require approval from state lawmakers, who will be in the state Capitol on Thursday for Newsom’s last State of the State speech in his final year as governor.

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The proposal would implement recommendations from a 2002 report by the state Legislature, titled “California’s Master Plan for Education,” which described the state’s K-12 governance as fragmented and “with overlapping roles that sometimes operate in conflict with one another, to the detriment of the educational services offered to students.” Newsom’s office said similar concerns have been raised repeatedly since 1920 and were echoed again in a December 2025 report by research center Policy Analysis for California Education.

“The sobering reality of California’s education system is that too few schools can now provide the conditions in which the State can fairly ask students to learn to the highest standards, let alone prepare themselves to meet their future learning needs,” the Legislature’s 2002 report stated. Those most harmed are often low-income students and students of color, the report added.

“California’s education governance system is complex and too often creates challenges for school leaders,” Edgar Zazueta, executive director of the Assn. of California School Administrators, said in a statement provided by Newsom’s office. “As responsibilities and demands on schools continue to increase, educators need governance systems that are designed to better support positive student outcomes.”

The current budget allocated $137.6 billion for education from transitional kindergarten through the 12th grade — the highest per-pupil funding level in state history — and Newsom’s office said his proposal is intended to ensure those investments translate into more consistent support and improved outcomes statewide.

“For decades the fragmented and inefficient structure overseeing our public education system has hindered our students’ ability to succeed and thrive,” Ted Lempert, president of advocacy group Children Now, said in a statement provided by the governor’s office. “Major reform is essential, and we’re thrilled that the Governor is tackling this issue to improve our kids’ education.”

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