MAGA goes quiet on the "Epstein files"
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A billboard in Times Square calls for the release of the Epstein files on July 23. Photo: Adam Gray via Getty Images
Some of the biggest "Epstein files" fire-breathers from recent years were silent Wednesday after Democrats released a trove of new emails that included mentions of President Trump.
Why it matters: What started as a conspiracy-laden search for answers against the deep state has turned (for some) into a defensive posture to protect Trump from two of the right's biggest bogeymen — Democrats, and the media.
What they're saying: Mentions of Epstein were sparse across MAGA social media accounts and podcasts in the hours after the email dump.
- Elon Musk, the billionaire X owner and on-again, off-again Trump ally, posted nothing Wednesday morning after lamenting in July over a supposed lack of transparency by the administration over the investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.
- Steve Bannon, the influential "War Room" host, did not discuss Epstein on the morning edition of his podcast after framing the push for Epstein disclosures in July as a core part of the fight against the "deep state."
Zoom out: "As soon as the legacy media suddenly started caring about it, and only about one person in particular, it became sus to MAGA," said The National Pulse's Raheem Kassam.
- Attitudes started shifting when The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Trump wrote Epstein a birthday note saying "may every day be another wonderful secret" — inside the outline of a naked woman.
- A picture of the note was later published to confirm the report, but MAGA's tide had already turned.
- "I'd say MAGA/base looks at Democrats as corrupt and untrustworthy messengers, and anything they do damages credibility of the message," Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle texted Axios. He noted Trump kicked Epstein out of his club before his crimes were known.
Catch up quick: Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails Wednesday in which Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, wrote that Trump "knew about the girls" and that Trump had "spent hours at my house" with one victim.
- Trump has denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes and said he and Epstein had a falling-out over unrelated issues.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Democrats "selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump."
- "The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they'll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they've done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects. Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap," Trump added in a Truth Social post.
Hours after Democrats released their documents, House Republicans released their own.
What's next: The swearing-in of Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Wednesday will allow Democrats and a handful of Republicans to force a House vote on mandating the Justice Department release files from its case into Epstein.
- Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) are leading the charge for Republicans, though it is largely fueled by Democrats.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) says the bill is unnecessary given a similar inquiry by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
- If it passes a House vote, the measure is not expected to pass the GOP-held Senate.
