President Donald Trump lashed out on Truth Social Wednesday as a crisis involving Jeffrey Epstein showed no sign of abating — and he even attacked "past supporters" in the MAGA base who are in uproar over it.
Trump is facing one of his biggest challenges after an announcement that Epstein left no client list — smashing a widely held view among MAGA that a document exists identifying many powerful people associated with the pedophile.
In his Wednesday rant, he attacked those people who wouldn't accept the announcement as "weaklings." Onlookers were quick to react.
"Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote.
"'Hoax' in Trumpspeak usually means he’s out of explanations. When he has no plausible explanation for his actions, he simply screams 'hoax,'" wrote former cable news host Chuck Todd on X.
"Trump's new plan to get past Epstein: calling Trump voters concerned about the human-trafficking ring stupid 'weaklings' and saying he disowns their support," mocked The Bulwark's senior reporter Will Sommer.
Politico senior political columnist Jonathan Martin pointed to Trump's allegations that the Democrats are somehow sticking together over the Epstein issue. It comes at a time when Democrats are fractured over many issues and candidates.
"Not the main point here, but I always love the insistence by one party that the other party is more loyal and cohesive. 'Democrats stick together like glue.' Well, except that de facto parliamentary coup this time of a year ago in which they purged their sitting president," wrote Martin on X.
His colleague, Ben Jacobs, agreed, noting, "Also literally written as the newly minted Democratic nominee for NYC Mayor is in Washington trying to appeal to Democratic members of Congress not to actively undermine his general election campaign!
Author S.E.E. Danesti alleged on Bluesky: "Trump going on a tirade and unhinged rant about Epstein. Now he's saying Jeffrey Epstein was a hoax and all the people that care about it are weak and past supporters. He's definitely guilty."
"Trump just told MAGA he doesn’t want their support anymore!" posted YouTube commentator Jesse Dollemore.
It prompted a reaction from one person, "You can't break up with me, *I'm* breaking up with *you*"
Columnist Daniel Dockery said that he remembered that during "the early stages of COVID ... Trump would change his tune constantly." Statements would evolve from "It's serious, but we got it under control," to "Actually, it's not serious so don't worry," then "Actually, it's a hoax. Actually, it's pretty bad but you'll be fine." Dockery remarked, "nothing has quite compared to this."
Senior executive at NBCUniversal, Mike Sington posted on Bluesky, "Stunning. Donald Trump has complete and total public meltdown over what he calls “the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax”. Ironic that a dead sexual predator is destroying a sexual predator’s presidency. The chickens have come home to roost."
Meanwhile, another Bluesky user posted screen captures of the pro-Trump subreddit that has long been known for coordinating MAGA followers. Some are furious, others are questioning, but none of them buy into Trump's new twists over the matter.
