When a thorny issue arises, the number one tactic in President Trump’s playbook has been to find the next shiny object. Develop an alternative story to feed the hungry mob. For the first time in a long time, that strategy is not working.
Trump can’t escape the public outcry to release the Epstein files—something both he and his minions campaigned on over the past few years. Rather than moving on to another issue, the outcry for releasing the Epstein files continues to grow stronger on both sides of the aisle.
So, what red meat has Trump tossed to the angry mob?
Trump accuses Barack Obama of treason and claims he should face criminal charges.
Trump revives unfounded allegations that Beyonce, Oprah, and Al Sharpton were paid to campaign for Kamla Harris and claims they should be prosecuted.
Trump opens an investigation against Jack Smith for violating the Hatch Act because he claims his actions were politically motivated.
Trump sues Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion for what he claims is a false story about Trump’s lewd birthday card drawing that he sent to Epstein on his 50th birthday.
Trump starts a campaign for Coca-Cola to use real cane sugar.
Trump starts a campaign to change the Washington Commanders name back to its former racist Redskins name.
Trump positions nuclear submarines near the Russian border.
Trump calls Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell a “stubborn moron” and urges the Board to take control.
Trump fires the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Erika McEntarfer because he claims she falsely reported job numbers that made him look bad.
And when asked why he broke off a friendship with Epstein, Trump claims it was because he stole employees from Mar-a-Lago. It was never about stolen employees. It always comes down to real estate with Trump, and this was no exception. And, by the way, it was Maxwell who lured Virginia Giuffre away from Mar-a-Lago—not Epstein.
The fallout between the two occurred over a real estate deal that Trump bought from under Epstein. Epstein bid $36 million. Trump bid $40 million for a property in a bankruptcy auction. Trump made minor cosmetic repairs to the estate and then sold the property to a Russian oligarch for $96 million a few years later—a transaction questioned by many at the time.
Trump has always campaigned as an outsider who wants to protect the common man, using an “I’ve got your back” mantra. This whole Epstein fiasco is about Trump protecting the insiders or elites—a club of which he is a member. To calm the maddening crowd, he may toss in some grand jury testimony about Epstein which won’t quell the beast. That testimony is a small segment of material and far from representative of the mounds of material in the Epstein files.
For years, Trump has worked under the auspices of assigning blame to others whenever possible. He campaigned on stopping the Ukraine/Russia war on Day One. He campaigned on lowering prices. He campaigned on reducing taxes for the masses. And he campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. The Ukraine/Russia War is raging. Prices are up. Taxes are being reduced for the elites–not the masses. And the Epstein files have not been released.
A growing number of MAGA loyalists feel betrayed. This time the buck may stop with Trump. Stay tuned.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
James Nick says
Re: “A growing number of MAGA loyalists feel betrayed.”
The MAGAs will never feel betrayed by trump. His supporters adore him. They love that he cheats, that he lies, that he tramples, that he rips things away from those they despise, that he punishes those they dislike. It doesn’t matter that they, too, are punished, that they, too, are being lied to. They are entranced by the viciousness, the vindictiveness, the sheer audacity of his willingness to destroy what they now think has been stained and befouled by those “others”.
The MAGAs know, like everyone must know, that the Epstein files will be purged, sanitized, and redacted of any and all references that would implicate trump. Rather, as reported in Axios today, they are certain that the files will finally reveal the cabal of liberal pedophiles that the deep state has been protecting. They’re feeling betrayed because it’s taking too long for the DOJ, specifically Pamala Bondi, to arrest, prosecute, and convict trump’s political enemies. Delaying the release of the Epstein files is a betrayal because it only serves to perpetrate the cover up and delay justice.
The MAGAs have been primed for an historic reckoning. They want revenge… now. They’re asking: How do we punish, defund, or erase the people we hate?
“Unless we see people tried and held accountable and in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs, this [urgent need to release the files] is not going away” and “Color me a little bit cautious here that we’re immediately going to get perp walks and indictments, but that is what we need,” as two prominent MAGA influencers are quoted by Axios.