Americans sceptical of Trump on Epstein, but Republican doubts ease, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

WASHINGTON – Americans are deeply sceptical of

President Donald Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal,

though he is shoring up support among his core Republican followers who have long focused on the ‍case, a ​new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The poll, completed on Dec 8, found that most ‍Americans believe

Mr Trump’s administration is covering up information

about the late sex offender, including his 2019 death and his ties to rich ​and powerful ​people, and do not believe Mr Trump’s claim that he was unaware of Epstein’s alleged trafficking of teenage girls when the two were friends decades ago.

Only 23 per cent of Americans approve of the way Mr Trump is handling the ‍ongoing scandal, the poll found, while 52 per cent disapprove.

However, the poll found he appears to be easing the concerns of ​his supporters: 53 per cent of Republicans said they approved ⁠of the way he was handling the issue, up from 44 per cent in November. That is still well below the

85 per cent approval rating Mr Trump enjoys

overall among Republicans. 

That could prove crucial. Mr Trump stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein before he returned to the White House in 2025, and prominent supporters have accused his administration of a cover-up.  

Republicans and Democrats in Congress defied Mr Trump in November and passed a law ‌requiring the Justice Department to release documents by ​Dec 19 from its long-running investigation into Epstein. 

The online poll of 4,434 US adults, conducted Dec 3 through Dec 8, found lingering suspicion about the US government’s role.

Some 62 per cent of those surveyed, including 56 per cent of Republicans, said they believed the government is hiding information about Epstein’s death, which was ruled a suicide, in a Manhattan jail in 2019 as he faced federal sex trafficking charges.

An even higher proportion - 70 per cent - said they thought the government is hiding information about people ‍who may have participated in the late financier’s alleged sex trafficking of teenage girls, including 62 per cent of ​Republicans.

And only 18 per cent said they thought it was likely that Mr Trump did not know about Epstein’s alleged crimes before they were made ​public. Among Republicans, that figure was 34 per cent.

Mr Trump has said he was not aware ‌of Epstein’s activities, and says he broke off their friendship before Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. REUTERS