NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 President Donald Trump is lashing out at his own supporters, accusing them of being duped by Democrats, as he tries to clamp down on criticism over his administration’s handling of much-hyped records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation, which Trump now calls a 鈥淗oax.鈥
鈥淭heir new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 鈥渂ull鈥斺,鈥 hook, line, and sinker,鈥 Trump wrote Wednesday on his Truth Social site, using an expletive in his post. 鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.鈥
鈥淟et these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don鈥檛 even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don鈥檛 want their support anymore!鈥 he went on. There is no evidence former Democratic officials tampered with the documents or played any role in promoting conspiracies about the files, which members of Trump’s administration stoked for years.
The rhetoric marks a dramatic escalation for the Republican president, who has broken with some of his most loyal backers on issues in the past, but never with such fervor. Though Trump cannot legally run for another term, he will need strong support from a united party to pass his remaining legislative agenda in a narrowly-divided Congress and an energized base to turn out in next year’s midterm elections.
Dangled documents
The schism centers on the administration’s handling of documents related to Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. Last week, the Justice Department and the FBI did not maintain a 鈥渃lient list” to whom underage girls were trafficked. They also said no more files related to the investigation would be made public, despite past promises from Attorney General that had raised the expectations of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public,” she had said.
The reversal sparked fury among Trump’s most loyal defenders, who have turned on Bondi, in particular. But Trump has repeatedly said he maintains confidence in his attorney general and has instead chided those who continue to press the issue.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand what the interest or what the fascination is,鈥 he said Tuesday, after to stop wasting “Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.”
In an Oval Office appearance Wednesday after the Truth post, Trump said he had 鈥渓ost a lot of faith in certain people” as he tried to turn the page on the story.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all been a big hoax,鈥 he told reporters. 鈥淚t鈥檚 perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.鈥
He complained that Bondi has been 鈥渨aylaid鈥 over her handling of the case and has given out all 鈥渃redible information鈥 about the wealthy financier. 鈥淚f she finds anymore credible information she鈥檒l give that, too,鈥 Trump said. 鈥漌hat more can she do than that?鈥
He continued to complain in a pre-taped interview with John Solomon that aired Wednesday evening on Real America鈥檚 Voice that the issue was distracting from his accomplishments.
鈥淎ll my supporters want to talk about is the Jeffrey Epstein hoax. It’s unbelievable,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t’s a disgrace. ... I鈥檓 going to remember.”
While Trump for making Epstein an issue, he and many figures in his administration, including FBI Director and his deputy, , spent years stoking dark and disproved conspiracy theories like those surrounding Epstein, including that casts Trump as a savior sent to
Anger still brewing
Trump’s comments have not been enough to quell those who are still demanding answers. Some of the podcasters and pro-Trump influencers who helped rally support for Trump in the 2024 campaign said Wednesday they were disappointed or puzzled by his comments.
Far-right conspiracy theorist and podcaster Alex Jones called Trump鈥檚 handling of the Epstein situation 鈥渢he biggest train wreck I鈥檝e ever seen.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 not in character for you to be acting like this,鈥 he said in a video Tuesday. 鈥淚 support you, but we built the movement you rode in on. You鈥檙e not the movement. You just surfed in on it.鈥
Benny Johnson, a conservative podcaster, said on his show that he is a fan of Trump鈥檚 movement but is trying to 鈥済ive tough love and speak on behalf of the base.鈥
鈥淢aybe it hasn鈥檛 been framed correctly for the president,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know.鈥
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in an interview on Benny Johnson’s show Tuesday, had called for the Justice Department to 鈥減ut everything out there and let the people decide.鈥
His first-term national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. implored Trump in to correct course.
鈥淎ll we want at this stage is for a modicum of trust to be reestablished between our federal government and the people it is designed to serve. That鈥檚 all (PERIOD!),” he wrote. 鈥淲ith my strongest recommendation, please gather your team and figure out a way to move past this.鈥
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on his podcast attempted some damage control on Trump鈥檚 behalf.
鈥淒on鈥檛 take too seriously this whole Truth Social here,鈥 Kirk told his audience. 鈥淚 know some people are getting fired up about this. I don鈥檛 believe he was trying to insult anybody personally.鈥
Still, he expressed frustration about the administration’s handling of the issue.
鈥淲e are now Wednesday going into Thursday. People are very, very confused, and some people are very disappointed and mad,鈥 Kirk said. 鈥淲e made so much progress with Gen Z, and this is a big vulnerability. Online, on TikTok, this story is not landing well. Let鈥檚 fix this, and we can.鈥
Other Trump allies have stuck by his side, suggesting he does not need the influencers who have capitalized on Epstein conspiracy theories to make money and earn viewers.
鈥淗e lent you his clout and voters,鈥 Brenden Dilley, the head of a group of meme makers who have lent their support to Trump, wrote on X on Wednesday. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 belong to you.鈥
Broader disapproval
While those speaking out represent a fringe of Trump’s most vocal online base, they are not the only ones dissatisfied with the government鈥檚 handling of the Epstein case, according to recent polling.
, for instance, found that about half of U.S. adults are not satisfied with the amount of information the federal government has released about the Epstein case. About 3 in 10 said it doesn鈥檛 matter either way and about 2 in 10 didn鈥檛 know enough to offer an opinion. Almost no one said they were satisfied with the amount of information released.
Looking ahead to 2026 midterm elections, some Democrats are clear-eyed that the Epstein files may not be a front-and-center issue for voters who tend to put a premium on kitchen table issues, but they see it as part of a broader pattern that could hamper Trump and the GOP.
鈥淭here is something breaking through to voters getting at this idea of a Republican Party working for these big, corrupt, wealthy, famous people and not fighting for their constituents,鈥 said Katarina Flicker of the House Majority PAC, Democrats鈥 super PAC for congressional races.
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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
