The Epstein files: the specter of a criminal threatens the unity of the MAGA movement

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI ruled out in early July that Jeffrey Epstein was murdered or that he had a "client list," which has sparked a wave of criticism and distrust within the MAGA movement.

Several Republicans and commentators sympathetic to Trumpism now feel betrayed that promises to "expose the elite" have come to naught and are calling for "transparency" in the case.

For their part, some Democrats have joined the call of these Republicans and have recently intensified petitions for the release of the Epstein files.

The Trump Administration claimed to have conducted a "thorough review" of the evidence in the Epstein case. The report published by Axios in early July rejects one of the main conspiracy theories in the case: that the financier did not take his own life, but was murdered.

"The FBI enhanced the relevant images by increasing their contrast, balancing color and improving their sharpness for greater clarity and visibility," the memo states.

"Investigators closely examined images from Epstein's cell at Manhattan Prison, between approximately 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 9, 2019—when Epstein was locked up—and 6:30 a.m. the next day, when he was found lifeless," the report cited by Axios asserts.

In video footage from the night Epstein died no one is seen entering his cell until his body was found in the morning.

Likewise, the memo asserts that the billionaire "harmed more than 1,000 victims" but none implicated "third parties."

It also ruled out the existence of a "client list" and that the former investment fund manager "blackmailed prominent individuals."

Bondi clarifies some points about the Epstein case

Following the findings laid out by the DOJ and the FBI, the president lashed out the next day at the media for continuing to dig into the Epstein case.

"Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein," Trump asked a reporter who was berating Pam Bondi about reporting on the case. "People have been talking about this guy for years."

People are still talking about this guy, this creep? It's unbelievable," Trump added.

The attorney general took the opportunity to clarify some points that have become motifs of contention within the ranks of the MAGA movement.

Bondi explained that the missing minute in the video from the Manhattan prison, where Epstein was being held, was due to an old recording system that automatically restarts every night.

"What we heard from the Bureau of Prisons is that every night they restart that video system. It's from about 1999. Every night they restart the video. Every night it should be missing the same minute. So we're looking for that video to release as well, showing that there's a minute missing every night," Bondi noted.

During the meeting, Bondi denied previously saying she had Jeffrey Epstein's client list on her desk.

"My response was, it's sitting on my desk for review. That is, the file, along with the JFK and MLK files," the attorney general asserted.

In February, Bondi told Fox News that files related to the Epstein investigation—including a document suspected of including high-profile names associated with his sex crimes—were on his desk for review.

Discord is sown between DOJ and FBI

A heated argument between FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Pam Bondi took place at the White House on Wednesday, July 9.

A source told Fox News Digital that Bongino was considering resigning over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files, noting that the FBI deputy director took a day off work Friday due to frustrations with the case.

The standoff, witnessed by FBI Director Kash Patel, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and deputy chief of staff, Taylor Budowich, included a discussion of a article from NewsNation that suggested Bongino and Patel sought to disclose more information about Epstein, but were stonewalled.

For their part, Bondi and Patel were in contact several times over the past week and agreed that they should stand by the findings from the report on the case, a source told Fox News Digital.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche also weighed in and told X that he "worked closely" with Bongino and Patel on the joint FBI-DOJ report on the Epstein files. According to Blanche, there were no differences in the drafting and release of the memo.

For his part, Kash Patel has had to deny some reports circulating about his possible departure from the FBI, over alleged disagreements with Pam Bondi.

"Conspiracy theories are simply not true, never have been. It is an honor to serve the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and I will continue to do so as long as he calls on me," Patel wrote.

MAGA influencers revolt and call for Bondi's resignation

The findings on the Epstein case has produced a shake-up within the ranks of right-wing influencers.

Personalities such as Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, Glenn Beck, Laura Loomer and Alex Jones have reacted to the report by pointing to Pam Bondi, the DOJ and what they consider the Deep State.

During Tuesday's episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the podcaster criticized the comment made in May by Attorney General Pam Bondi that the FBI was reviewing "tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child pornography."

A month later, Kash Patel appeared on Rogan's show and contradicted Bondi, saying the FBI was not in possession of any such evidence.

During Tuesday's episode, Joe Rogan said : "They had videotapes and suddenly they don't."

"What do you mean, why are they saying there are thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible things, why did they say that, didn't Pam Bondi say that," Rogan added.

For his part, Tucker Carlson accused the DOJ of covering up evidence by claiming, without evidence, that US and Israel security agencieswere compromised and that is why all evidence was not disclosed.

"So the only explanation I can think of, and maybe you have another one, is that the intelligence services are at the center of this story, both American and Israeli, and they're being protected. I think that seems to be the most obvious one...."

For his part, Glenn Beck said on X that Bondi "should resign, not for a cover-up, but for incompetence" criticizing video footage the DOJ released of Epstein's cellblock in the hours before he was found dead, claiming the agency gave "a biased view of the facility."

Renowned journalist Megyn Kelly, a close Donald Trump ally, predicted that Bondi's "days are numbered as a member of the Trump Administration," calling her handling of the Epstein files release in February “lacklustre,” after it failed to disclose any new details some on the right had been expecting.

Adding to the controversy was Laura Loomer, who criticized the attorney general, noting on X that Patel and Bongino were "furious" with Pam Bondi's handling of the case.

"Kash Patel and Dan Bongino should call for Bondi's public resignation today to save themselves and to also push for full transparency of the Epstein files," Loomer asserted.

Also, on the same day the Epstein case report was released, Elon Musk sarcastically posted on X : "What time is it Oh look, it's that time again when no one has been arrested!" accompanied by an image of a zeroed-out marker with the caption "Jeffrey Epstein's official pedophilia arrest counter."

"Next thing the DOJ will say is 'Actually, Jeffrey Epstein didn't even exist,'" tweeted Alex Jones. "This is sickeningly over the top," he asserted.

Trump backs Pam Bondi

After the furious onslaught against the attorney general, Donald Trump came to her defense.

On his Truth Social account, Trump criticized those within his own party calling for Bondi's departure, assuring that she is doing "a fantastic job."

"What's going on with my boys and, in some cases, girls? They are all going against Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB," Trump tweeted. "We have a PERFECT Administration...and selfish people are trying to damage it, all because of one guy who never dies - Jeffrey Epstein."

"Let's not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, someone no one cares about," the president said.

"Why are we giving publicity to files written by Obama, the corrupt Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the losers and criminals of the Biden Administration, who fooled the world with the 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 they used against me, and now my so-called 'friends' are falling right into their trap."

"LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB - SHE'S EXCELLENT!," he added.

Ghislaine Maxwell considers speaking in front of Congress

Ghislaine Maxwell, ex-partner and partner of Jeffrey Epstein, would be willing to speak in front of Congress. So reported the Daily Mail, after consulting with sources close to Maxwell, who in 2022 was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined $750,000 for multiple federal offenses.

Maxwell was the only one tried in the Epstein case. As a source told the Daily Mail, should she be given the opportunity, the Epstein accomplice would be willing to appear before Congress to give details of the case.

"Congressional hearings have been held on all kinds of cases, from the JFK assassination to 9/11. The Epstein files are on a par with those cases. Ghislaine would be willing to speak before Congress and tell her story," they told the media outlet.

For its part, Attorney General Pam Bondi's DOJ responded to Maxwell's lawyers' filing on Monday and urged the Supreme Court not to take her case, according to an exclusive report from The Daily Mail.

Mike Johnson asks DOJ to release Epstein files

Mike Johnson called on the DOJ to publish all existing information on the Jeffrey Epstein case and wants Pam Bondi to explain statements she has made in the past on the matter.

In an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, the House speaker said he is "in favor of transparency" when asked if he would support congressional efforts to subpoena the DOJ to obtain Epstein documents or request testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell.

The interview was released after House Republicans on Monday blocked a Democratic amendment to force the DOJ to release Jeffrey Epstein's records.

"It's a very sensitive issue, but you have to get it all out in the open and let the people decide," the Louisiana Republican said.

"I think she was talking about documents, as I understand it, that were on her desk. I don't know if she was specifically referring to a list or whatever, but she needs to come forward and explain it to everybody," Johnson said, referring to the Bondi's statements about an alleged list of Epstein's clients that was on her desk.

The Republican said he is "anxious" for the matter to be resolved.

Other Republicans join in calling for transparency in the case

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, announced Tuesday that he will file a request to force a vote in the House to make the Epstein files public.

"We all deserve to know what's in the Epstein files, who's involved and how far this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency," Massie wrote in X "We will be filing a petition to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on the publication of the FULL files."

For his part, retired General Michael Flynn, a former National Security Advisor and Donald Trump's affectionate friend, has also expressed his displeasure over the handling of the Epstein files.

"The handling of this matter was terrible, there's no way to deny that. Americans want the U.S. to succeed, therefore, WE NEED YOU TO SUCCEED," Flynn wrote addressing Trump.

Also, the retired general expressed concern about the possibility of influential people implicated in the financier's crimes going unpunished: "If there are elites within our country who committed crimes against CHILDREN (shame on them)... they must be held ACCOUNTABLE."

For his part, Donald Trump expressed his disgust against those who continue to talk about the Epstein case: "My former supporters have fallen for this 'bullshit,' without thinking about it," the Republican said on Truth Social.

Pam Bondi fires Maurene Comey

On Wednesday, Pam Bondi fired Maurene Comey, who had worked in the prosecutor's office for nearly a decade and who prosecuted both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

According to POLITICO, Comey received no explanation for her dismissal and the decision to fire her did not come from the acting U.S. attorney, Jay Clayton, meaning it was likely made by someone at DOJ headquarters.

According to reports, Comey was notified by letter and her removal came under Article II of the Constitution, which empowers the president to order such firings.

Maurene Comey is the daughter of James Comey, former FBI director, who is under federal investigation for his role in Russiagate, a complex plot of alleged collusion between Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government.

Democratic lawmakers demand to know the truth

Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House of Representatives, did an about-face Thursday after initially claiming that the discourse surrounding the Epstein files was a "distraction."

"This is a distraction," Pelosi told MSNBC host Chris Jansing, when asked about what Trump could do to get his supporters to put the Epstein issue behind them. "We have important issues right here with things that we're voting on today in Congress."

"And instead we're talking about him, about this issue, and his own base has their own opinions about what the president should do," she continued.

Shortly after her appearance on MSNBC, Pelosi signaled her support for more revelations and slammed Trump for refusing to appoint a special prosecutor in the case.

"For reasons known only to himself, Donald Trumpis now refusing to appoint a special prosecutor in the Epstein case after weeks of refusing to release the Epstein files," she wrote on X.

"This week, House Democrats voted unanimously in favor of making the files public. Republicans voted to keep them hidden," he added. "With deep respect for the victims, their trauma and their privacy, everyone on the Epstein list must be held accountable, whoever they are."

"Release the files," Pelosi said.

For his part, House Democratic Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries told the media Monday that Trump Administration must release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, adding that, otherwise, Congress should intervene as soon as possible to force the release of the documents.

"The American people deserve to know the truth, what—if anything—is the Trump Administration and the Justice Department hiding," Jeffries told reporters on Capitol Hill.

The Democratic leader also commented that there were only two possible scenarios surrounding the Epstein case:

"Option 1: they lied for years. Option 2: they are involved in a cover-up. At this point, it seems reasonable to think it can only be one of two things. And that's why it's incumbent on Congress, in a bipartisan way, to ask the questions and try to get answers on behalf of the American people," Jeffries commented.

Trump calls for release of "relevant" case testimony

On Friday, the president asked Pam Bondi to release all "relevant" testimony from the Epstein prosecution.

DOJ asked a federal court to authorize the release of court documents that led to the indictment of Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.

But these documents "will only refer to Epstein and (Ghislaine) Maxwell," his now-convicted paramour, and not to others, Daniel Goldman, a Democratic congressman and former federal prosecutor, commented on the social networking site X.

"The grand jury testimony will not include anything related to other people involved in the sex trafficking ring," Goldman said.

When Trump was asked Friday if he plans to request the release of other documents from the case, the president did not respond.