Well, well, well?
So, the Epstein saga continues-- and it is quite the scene to observe. My initial reaction has been: “Let them fight”, more or less. But I cannot help but ponder several facets of this feud that I cannot wrap my head around.
I have an unfinished Epstein piece drafted a few months ago, primarily focused on the 20+ year friendship he shared with Trump, as well as the Florida case from the 2000s, in which he secured a non-prosecution deal. The deal—brokered by then-U.S. Attorney (and future cabinet member) Alex Acosta—raised several red flags that should have been a much bigger deal at the time, but are arguably even more relevant today. Here are the highlights;
“I was told Epstein belonged to intelligence, and to leave it alone.”
— Alexander Acosta, former U.S. Attorney and Current Secretary of Labor under Donald Trump
In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department began investigating reports of underage girls being brought to Jeffery Epstein’s home for what were described as “massages.” The case grew rapidly — dozens of girls, some as young as 14, had been lured into Epstein’s orbit.
Acosta’s office assembled a federal case. But behind closed doors, prosecutors agreed to a non-prosecution agreement (NPA)— a secret deal that:
Granted Epstein immunity from federal charges
Extended immunity to “any potential co-conspirators”effectively shielding his entire network
Required no public disclosure
Prevented victims from being notified
Sent Epstein to a private wing of a county jail for just 13 months
Allowed him to leave jail 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, on "work release" — while his victims continued to suffer in silence
Trump has a well-documented relationship with Epstein, that extended through Epstein’s 2000s trial, and appeared to fizzle out afterward--at least publicly. Here are some notable highlights
Late 1980s to Early 1990s: Trump and Epstein begin socializing, likely through shared social circles in New York and Palm Beach. Both owned property in Palm Beach, with Epstein purchasing his home in 1990, on El Brillo Way, two miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club.
1992: Trump and Epstein are photographed together at a Mar-a-Lago pre-pageant dinner and party with NFL cheerleaders.
1997: They are photographed together again at Mar-a-Lago and at a Victoria’s Secret party in New York City with model Ingrid Seynhaeve.
Late 1990s to 2000: Trump reportedly flew on Epstein’s private plane at least seven times between Palm Beach and New York. One documented flight in June 1994 included Trump, his then-wife Marla Maples, and their daughter Tiffany. (Family values baby!)
February 2000: Trump and Epstein attend a celebrity tennis tournament at Mar-a-Lago. Epstein accompanied by Prince Andrew; Trump attends with Melania Knauss.
2002: In a New York Magazine interview, Trump describes Epstein as a “terrific guy” and “a lot of fun to be with,” noting their shared interest in “beautiful women” and that Epstein “likes them on the younger side.”
2003: Trump dines at Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion in Manhattan, New York.
November 2004: Trump and Epstein compete to purchase the Maison de l’Amitie estate in Palm Beach. Trump wins with a $41.35 million bid. This is the last known direct contact between the two, based on message logs.
Late 2007: Trump bans Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Club membership records show Epstein’s account closed in October 2007, reportedly after he made an inappropriate advance toward a young female staff member.
2009: Trump provides helpful information to attorney Brad Edwards, who was representing some of Epstein’s accusers during civil litigation.
2016: Trump Organization attorney Alan Garten claims there was “no relationship” between Trump and Epstein.
July 2019: Following Epstein’s arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Trump says, "I was not a fan of his," and claims their relationship ended about 15 years prior.
While there has been a wealth of factual information available for years, it largely went unacknowledged—at least until the past week or so. “Ignored” may not be the perfect word for those of us on the left who have been sounding the alarm, but in light of what's unfolding in MAGA world today, it feels like an accurate description.
Here are some points I am wrestling with--presented in no particular order, as they relate to this rapidly developing story.
Is this the story that finally cracks MAGA? If so, why now? What frustrates me here, is that if MAGA were truly concerned with these files, the information I referenced earlier -- again, all publicly available -- has been out there for YEARS, corroborated by news outlets, court documents, video testimony, and other sources. It seems that only in response to the DOJ closing the case has this long-ignored evidence suddenly come into the MAGA spotlight and started fueling outrage. Personally, I've sent MAGA folks in my orbit the 2006 court filings, along with the Katie Johnson video testimony-- years ago. Sure, reading through hundreds of pages of legal documentation isn't everyone's idea of fun, but for the so-called “MAGA Warriors” who claim to be obsessed with the Epstein files, you would think they would have dug into this stuff long before last week. It’s almost like they just take the right-wing media’s word for it - - no questions asked.
Why hasn’t the Trump camp just released a cherry-picked or outright fake report to quiet the revolt? This guy is no stranger to theatricality and deception (the assassination attempt was staged - - just saying), and I genuinely believe that the upper echelons of MAGA world would accept anything at this point just so they can claim Dear Leader kept his promise, slap a bow on the whole thing, and go back to sucking off ICE agents or whatever their latest kink is. The only explanation I can think of is that Trump's paranoid. After years of legal battles and public humiliation, he may suspect that even a controlled leak—especially one managed by his grotesquely incompetent inner circle—could backfire and create even bigger problems than the ones he’s already facing. That said, I do think they will eventually put something out, but the longer it takes, the more likely it is that MAGA itself starts calling bullshit.
Is this just a wedge issue being utilized to give people an exit ramp from Trump and MAGA? The cynic in me certainly thinks so. I truly believe the MAGA movement is the most vile modern-day reincarnation of the Nazi party. But -- and it's a big but – I know there are conservatives who are genuinely good people. The problem is, many of those same people are too afraid to admit they were wrong or to publicly denounce Dear Leader. So instead, they’ve silently accepted the erosion of human rights, the dismantling of federal institutions, the corruption of the Supreme Court, blatant bribery—you name it. And all of it gets justified under the false banners of fiscal responsibility, religious values, or patriotism. Total lies, of course, when you compare those excuses to the actual behavior of Trump and congressional Republicans. That’s why this Epstein story feels like more than a news cycle—it’s providing the MAGA base with a socially acceptable way to question their allegiance. From the casual, non-engaged Trump voter to the full-blown QAnon disciple, dissatisfaction with how these files have been handled seems to be uniting them in a rare moment of internal dissent. And that, to me, signals something bigger: a crack in the façade.
Even if factions of MAGA are using this as a means to separate from the movement, isn’t that ultimately a good thing? Personally, I hold serious grievances over how long it’s taken. At the very least, I still can’t understand how anyone voted for Trump after January 6. That moment alone should have been disqualifying. That said, out of all of the vile acts Trump has committed-- both in and out of office – I hold the child molestation allegations at the top of the list. The talent show brags, the dozens of sexual assault accusations, his disturbing comments about children, his praise of Epstein, and the horrifying unknowns that still linger… this shit sack of flesh has been followed by credible, sickening stories for decades. And yet, people support him. Some even think he’s Jesus. The whole "ends justify the means" defense never sat right with me-- and I don't think it ever will. BUT-- and it's a big one -- if this is ...what ultimately brings him down, I suppose I can accept that as some form of karmic justice. At the very least. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to question the motivations of his supporters and enablers up to this point. Because they saw it. They knew. And they looked the other way.
Will this blow over? Unfortunately, I still think so. I’d love to be wrong—but if history tells us anything, it's that Fox News will likely spin up a narrative the White House can co-opt, giving right-wing influencers their talking points and forcing the MAGA base to fall in line. Sure, some followers may voice skepticism, but fear of being seen as a traitor will likely keep most of them compliant. As we have seen, time and time again, they are fine with hypocrisy and gaslighting. So it’s reasonable to believe they’ll follow the same pattern. At worst, Trump does something insane to redirect media attention. I could easily see him firing Jerome Powell, ramping up tariffs as a punishment (tacos!), or even staging another assassination attempt if he gets desperate enough. Regardless, the Democrats need to unleash and sustain a full-court press to keep the spotlight on Trump and those who continue to support him. With enough sustained pressure and heat- -anything can break. Even people without a spine.
-Edited by E. Sullivan
