Donald Trump is using a "shell game" to hide his "kryptonite," according to a former "trusted operative" of the president.
Trump's recent activities, including a purported plan to send troops to Portland, Oregon, can be seen as a distraction from a recent series of releases of Jeffrey Epstein documents. At least that's how Lev Parnas, who was instrumental in the events that led up to Trump's first impeachment, sees it.
Soviet-born Parnas, who worked closely with Rudy Giuliani during Trump's first administration, was purportedly sent to Ukraine to help Trump and Giuliani make contacts there for the purposes of digging up negative info on Hunter Biden. Parnas was later convicted of campaign finance violations, and today the analyst reports on Trump from outside the administration.
In an article called Trump Sends Military Into Portland as Epstein Files Reveal His Inner Circle’s Secrets, Parnas first broaches Pete Hegseth's big military meeting.
"And now, as I’ve been warning you, the picture is no longer blurry — it’s coming into sharp focus. My sources are telling me that this sudden push to gather generals, hold secret meetings, and tighten loyalty tests is not random at all. It’s part of laying out the next phase of the blueprint, the machinery of Project 2025. This is the plan — to turn ICE, the military, and every federal lever of power into Trump’s personal police force, just like Putin and other dictators do," he wrote Saturday.
But, according to Parnas, this plan serves a dual role.
"While Trump plays dictator, turning ICE and the military on our own people and tearing at the very fabric of our Constitution, he’s also running a shell game to hide what really scares him — his kryptonite. And that kryptonite is the truth buried in the Epstein files," Parnas wrote. "With the latest tranche of documents now public, it’s undeniable how deep Epstein’s ties reach into Trump’s world — his donors, his operatives, and his inner circle. This is no longer about Trump protecting only himself; it’s about shielding the entire network that keeps him in power."
He then added, "These aren’t whispers or rumors — they’re official schedules, flight logs, and financial ledgers straight from Epstein’s estate. And now, the names are appearing in black and white."
Parnas further notes several prominent names included in the new releases, including Elon Musk and Steve Bannon.
"These meetings came long after Epstein’s 2007 conviction—at a time when his criminal record was already clear," Parnas wrote. "And yet, these are the very people who sit inside Trump’s orbit, influence policy, and bankroll his operations."