Trump's Epstein Memo Meltdown Deepens as Blame Shifts to Obama and Clinton

Trump's Outburst Over Epstein Files and MAGA Frustrations

President Donald Trump recently took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to express strong support for Attorney General Pam Bondi while simultaneously criticizing what he referred to as his "so-called ‘friends" in the MAGA movement. His focus was on the ongoing debate surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, a deceased billionaire and convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. Trump claimed that the so-called “friends” were overly focused on Epstein, whom he described as “a guy who never dies.”

In a lengthy post on Saturday, July 12, Trump expressed frustration with the current situation, stating that the MAGA movement was being undermined by individuals who were supposedly on the same team. He emphasized that the administration had been doing an excellent job and accused some people of trying to damage it over a matter involving Epstein.

The Department of Justice released a memo on Sunday that alleged Epstein had taken his own life and stated that his client list did not exist. This memo marked a significant shift from Trump’s previous promises to release the so-called Epstein files. Before the election, Trump had pledged to make these documents public, but now the administration appeared to be closing the case, leading to widespread speculation about the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death and the existence of the client list.

In February, Bondi told Fox News that the client list was under review, as it had been a directive from President Trump. A week later, the Justice Department released a “first phase” of Epstein files, which were then given to right-wing influencers at the White House. However, this event ended in embarrassment when the files contained no new information. In March, Bondi claimed that everything would eventually be made public and accused the Biden administration of holding back the documents.

This led to significant backlash within the MAGA community, with many prominent right-wingers expressing outrage and even calling for Bondi's removal. The issue became a persistent point of contention within the Trump administration.

On Saturday, Trump claimed that the Epstein files were written by a variety of Democrats and political adversaries, including former President Obama, Hillary Clinton, and James Comey. He suggested that these individuals created the files, similar to how the Steele dossier was compiled, which had alleged connections between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.

Trump also urged his base to support Bondi, writing, “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB - SHE'S GREAT!” while claiming that the left was “imploding.” He encouraged current FBI Director Kash Patel to focus on issues like voter fraud, political corruption, and the 2020 election, which are central concerns for his supporters.

For days, several Trump administration officials have been trying to communicate with MAGA influencers and others who have shown interest in the Epstein files. Their goal has been to convince these individuals to move on from the issue, but their efforts have largely failed.

Trump's recent social media post is unlikely to ease the tensions within the MAGA movement regarding the administration's lack of transparency on this matter. One Trump administration official told Rolling Stone that Trump's actions are making it difficult for some of his biggest supporters to believe he is not involved in the Epstein files. Another longtime associate described Trump's approach as “awful damage control instincts.”