White House insiders warn Donald Trump's presidency is crippled if just a tiny part of his MAGA base fails to get over the Jeffrey Epstein mess that's swirled for more than a week.
Talking to The Washington Post, officials close to Trump said that, though the bulk of his hardcore support seems to be swinging back to him after major outrage, the expectation is that the crisis will never fully go away.
“I wouldn’t say it’s blown over,” said one. “It’s one of those things where, with a certain segment of the base, a very small segment of the base, it’s never going to die down, no matter what.”
And though behind the scenes efforts are being made to quell remaining anger, expectations are the furor will now be a constant thorn in the president's side.
“It’s not going to be some huge revolt, but you’re going to see less lines at the rallies,” a second White House insider said. “All you need is 5 percent of these people to just get cynical, apathetic, lethargic, and we’re done.”
Trump's support rebelled earlier this month after his attorney general, Pam Bondi, announced sex trafficker Epstein left no client list when he died in 2019. MAGA has long believed that there is documentation linking the billionaire to several powerful people.
The Wall Street Journal then printed stories delving into connections between Epstein and Trump.
Ironically, those stories have done most to quell the MAGA rebellion against Trump, the insiders said.
"In some ways, he lucked out," one Trump ally said, explaining that the stories helped unite the base against what they perceived as attacks from the "liberal media."
"The best thing that happened for these people was that Wall Street Journal story."
New polling by the Post reveals the depth of Trump's political problem. It found that even among self-identified MAGA Republicans, only 43 percent approved of Trump's handling of the Epstein case, with a stunning 39 percent remaining unsure about their own president's performance.
The White House insiders revealed that the administration is working frantically behind closed doors to manage the crisis, even as they publicly downplay concerns.
"We're not just sitting on our hands," the official said. "There are things happening that are not public. Just because they're not public doesn't mean things aren't happening."
The official declined to elaborate on specific plans but acknowledged that "the situation hasn't gone away" and that Trump's connections to Epstein remain a media focus.
Right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec, who had previously criticized the administration's response, claimed victory in forcing policy changes. "The movement was absolutely heard by the DOJ, loud and clear," Posobiec told The Washington Post, referring to pressure from MAGA figures.
A White House ally revealed that prominent MAGA influencers, including Charlie Kirk, Stephen Bannon, and Megyn Kelly, were surprisingly easy to placate once the administration took symbolic action.
"Most of them were just looking for some sort of cover," the ally said, dismissing the influence of figures who had warned the White House about supporter concerns.
Trump's earlier dismissal of supporter concerns—calling the Epstein situation a "hoax" and lambasting preoccupied Republicans as "stupid" and "foolish"—left many in his base feeling betrayed and bewildered.
As the White House works to control the Epstein narrative, officials are simultaneously pushing other storylines to distract the base. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently announced declassified materials allegedly showing a "treasonous conspiracy" by the Obama administration against Trump in 2016.
The administration is also preparing to highlight Trump's legislative achievements, with the president potentially holding rallies to promote his "One Big Beautiful Bill" as early as August.
Meanwhile, speculation continues about a potential pardon for Epstein partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, whose attorneys have reportedly approached the White House. Trump refused to rule out the possibility when questioned by reporters, though White House officials dismiss the idea.
"It's not even on his radar," the senior White House official claimed regarding a Maxwell pardon.