Trump faces backlash as 69% believe Epstein details concealed, poll finds
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Mr Trump knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - Most Americans think US President Donald Trump’s administration is hiding information about accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and give it poor marks on the issue after pledging to make public documents in the case
The two-day poll, which closed on July 16, showed 69 per cent of respondents thought the federal government was hiding details about Epstein’s clients, compared with 6 per cent who disagreed and about one in four who said they were not sure.
Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, was facing federal charges of sex trafficking minors when he died by suicide in jail
The case has captivated swathes of Mr Trump’s political base who were expecting lurid details after some of his top law enforcement officials said they would be releasing documents that would lead to major revelations about Epstein and his alleged clientele.
The Trump administration last week reversed course on its pledge, enraging some of the President’s followers.
Close to two-thirds of Republicans think the administration is hiding details on Epstein’s business, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Just 17 per cent of Americans approve of Mr Trump’s handling of the case, a weaker rating than the President received on any other issue in the poll.
Among Republicans, 35 per cent approved, compared with 29 per cent who disapproved and the rest who said they were not sure or did not answer the question.
Reuters reported on July 16 that Mr Trump and White House officials were weighing a range of options, including unsealing new documents, appointing a special prosecutor and drafting executive actions on issues such as paedophilia.
Mr Trump, however, has been defiant, describing supporters hung up on the issue as “weaklings
“I don’t want their support any more!” Mr Trump said in a social media post.
The beliefs following Epstein’s death were part of a range of conspiracies that have taken hold in US politics, including QAnon, a far-right fringe belief that a cabal of cannibalistic child molesters inside the US government have conspired against Mr Trump.
Behind the scenes, Mr Trump and senior aides have also reached out to key Maga-aligned influencers, urging them to dial down their criticism of the administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation and shift focus to broader priorities for the America First movement.
The backlash over the Epstein case has laid bare tensions inside Mr Trump’s coalition and is testing one of Mr Trump’s most enduring political strengths: his ability to command loyalty and control the narrative across the right.
The outcry comes amid discontent among parts of Mr Trump’s base over the US strikes on Iran, continued involvement in Ukraine and any hint of backsliding on the administration’s hardline immigration promises.
Mr Trump knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s.
During the 2021 trial of Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier’s long-time pilot, Mr Lawrence Visoski, testified that Mr Trump flew on Epstein’s private plane multiple times.
Mr Trump has denied ever being on the plane and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted online, surveyed 1,027 US adults across the country and had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points. REUTERS
