(New York) For the past week, the Maga movement has been going through an existential crisis that threatens Donald Trump. The cause: the way in which the Department of Justice manages the Jeffrey Epstein files, named after the pedocrimonel found dead in the cell where he was waiting for his trial for sexual abuse, in August 2019.
What was the trigger for this crisis?
Last Monday, the Department of Justice published a two -page document containing what its leaders presented as FBI’s conclusions on Epstein files. These conclusions contradict the main arguments having fueled conspiratorial theories concerning Epstein: the fallen financier has indeed committed suicide; He did not sing any of the rich and powerful characters he frequented; No “list of incriminating customers” was among the files bearing its name. This last conclusion exploded many followers of the Maga movement.
What is the importance of this list?
For years, the leading figures of the Maga movement, whether politicians or influencers, accuse the Department of Justice and the FBI of hiding the “list of Epstein customers” in order to protect members of the American and international financial and political elite, including Bill Clinton and other Democrats.
Photo Lauren Leigh Bacho, Associated Press Archives
The United States vice-president JD Vance
“Seriously, we must publish the list of Epstein,” said JD Vance, future vice-president, in October 2024.
“Epstein’s list will shake the Democratic Party,” predicted the Baladodiffuser Dan Bongino, who became deputy director of the FBI in September 2024 (his current boss, Kash Patel, made similar remarks at the same time). Last February, the general prosecutor of the United States, Pam Bondi, made the conspirators of the Maga movement salivate by saying on Fox News that the list of Epstein was “on (sound) office”. However, last week, she said that she was talking about Epstein files and not a “list of customers”.
Has the explanation of Bondi been accepted?
Judging by the reaction of influencers Maga, the answer is a non -resounding. Laura Loomer asked for the resignation of the general prosecutor, accusing him of being “very detrimental to the image of President Trump”.
Photo Ted Shaffrey, Associated Press Archives
Laura Loomer is an American activist associated with the extreme right.
Steve Bannon asked for the appointment of a special prosecutor responsible for investigating Epstein files “all”. “This is the first major scandal attributable to the Trump administration, it is not a false media scandal like the left tries to attribute one to President Trump every two days,” said Megyn Kelly during a panel hosted by Charlie Kirk last Friday. “This is a scandal created by the right, and it does not go well. I must be honest, I blame Pam Bondi. »»
How does Trump react to this scandal?
On Saturday, he published on Truth Social a long message in which he wondered why his “guys” and his “daughters” of the Maga movement “all attack the general prosecutor Pam Bondi, which does a fantastic work! ». He chained by reproaching bizarre at his camp for giving “advertising to files written by Obama, Hillary La Véreuse, Comey, Brennan and the criminals of the Biden administration”. Jeffrey Epstein, it should be remembered, was arrested, charged and found dead in his cell during Trump’s first mandate. Revealing a situation that a Fox News animator described as a “delay bomb”, the president’s message aroused more negative than positive comments, unheard of on Truth Social. It is as if the bond of confidence between the man who had promised to make public the Epstein files and his supporters had been started.
Do the Maga criticize Trump its links with Epstein?
A surprising fact, the subject has never been at the heart of the concerns of supporters of the president. They were interested in the other powerful characters who attended the New York financier, including President Bill Clinton, the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Prince Andrew. But they have always neglected the fact that Trump regularly attended Epstein for almost 20 years.
During an interview with the magazine new York In 2002, the future president qualified his friend in New York and Palm Beach as “formidable guy”.
And to add: “It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as me, and many of them are rather young. “Trump ended up blurring with Epstein, just as he ended up breaking with Elon Musk, who notably relayed on X the allegation according to which his name appears” in Epstein files “.
Do Democrats try to exploit the crisis?
California’s Democrat representative Ro Khanna will try on Tuesday to add an amendment to an examination bill in order to force the United States General Prosecutor to publish “any file or element of evidence linked to the investigation, prosecution or imprisonment” of Epstein.
Photo Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press Archives
Ro Khanna, Democrat representative of California
“Why are Epstein files still hidden?” Who are the rich and the powerful protected? “Asked Mr. Khanna on Sunday on X.” Tuesday, I will introduce an amendment to force a vote requiring that the complete Epstein files are made public. The president of the House of Representatives must request a vote and oblige all the members of the Congress to decide. If the president of the room, Mike Johnson, blocks the amendment, the Democrats will be able to accuse the Republicans of having broken the promise they made to the followers of the Maga Movement of making public the Epstein files. Plot theories have been developed for less than that.
