Ipaper columnist Simon Marks argues every “strategic effort” by President Donald Trump’s administration to protect him from the most damaging Epstein files “is not working.”
“The U.S. president is now twisting in the wind as reporters wait for each batch of files placed into the public domain. On Monday, the release of an additional 30,000 pages of documents, emails and images raised fresh questions for Trump, who makes numerous appearances throughout the material.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers are accusing the government of deliberately slowing the release of all files pertaining to convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, including one-time ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who shared a screenshot from the files and with the claim that “only evil people would hide this and protect those who participated.” Marks points out that other MAGA leaders, like Steve Bannon and MAGA influencer Laura Loomer, have also criticized the administration for its handling of the matter.
“The Epstein files have torn through Trump’s base, with typically supportive Fox News hosts warning in the summer that Trump risked losing support over the matter,” Marks said.
And Trump’s faithful administrators appear powerless to do anything but accidentally incriminate him further. Trump’s highly politicized Department of Justice failed to deliver a predictable reaction to one letter’s explosive contents alleging Epstein telling fellow child predator Larry Nassar that “When a young beauty walked by [Trump] loved to ‘grab snatch’, whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the [prison] system … Life is unfair,” Epstein allegedly wrote.
Seemingly caught flat-footed by the attention the letter drew, the DOJ issued a statement on X claiming officials were “currently looking into the validity of this alleged letter … and we will follow up as soon as possible.” Two hours later, the department was calling the letter “FAKE” and claiming the handwriting didn’t match that of Epstein, but without including its forensic analysis. This, said Marks, “raised serious questions about the process behind the scenes.”
“Trump’s second term has not even seen its first full year, yet the Epstein scandal is bringing him to his knees. Congressman Thomas Massie, a dissident MAGA Republican from Kentucky, accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of ‘working fervently to redact, omit and delete Epstein files she is legally required to release.’” Marks said. “Together with Democrat Ro Khanna of California, he is drafting articles of impeachment to lay against Bondi, accusing her of a ‘bogus Epstein release … protecting the rich, powerful and politically connected.’”
Trump ran for office promising to release all the files, exploiting right-wing conspiracy theorists claiming of a secret sex-trafficking ring involving powerful Democrats, but Marks said “now, hard questions are mounting for Trump, and his steady political demise based on these revelations will only be hastened by the hapless behavior of his Department of Justice.”
“His conduct could be innocent, but many of his supporters want to know why his own government is managing to make him look guilty,” Marks said.
Read Marks' Ipaper column at this link.