Trump has survived many scandals, but the Epstein story poses a new test
The uproar around Epstein escalated last Thursday with a report in The Wall Street Journal that refocused attention on Trump's relationship with the disgraced late financier. It's the latest scandal to touch a public figure who has weathered many of them, both in and out of office, yet managed to return to Washington after his 2020 defeat with even more power than before.
Despite the clamour surrounding Epstein from within the president's political base and beyond, there is no indication so far that this is the scandal that will sink Trump any more than the Access Hollywood tape of 2016, or being found guilty in a criminal trial last year over hush money payments to a porn star. Trump won presidential elections after both.
Law enforcement agencies have not accused Trump of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and he has never been identified as a target of any associated investigation.
But Epstein clearly has posed a problem for the White House. At a minimum, it has been a distraction at a time when Trump wants to tout his legislative victories. If it continues to grab public attention, it could pose a more significant threat at a time when Trump's standing with the public has already been on the decline, though polling shows him steady with his own party.
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Trump lashed out at the Journal 's story after it was published, threatening to sue the newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, who has been an important, although inconstant, political ally. The next day, he filed a libel lawsuit in federal court in southern Florida, alleging the article defamed him.
Trump's handling of concerns related to Epstein, the wealthy child sex predator who died in jail in 2019, recently provoked a rare eruption among the president's most loyal supporters, prompting MAGA leaders to caution that some in Trump's base could become disillusioned enough to sit out the midterm elections.
Many Americans believe the US government has hidden information on possible associates of Epstein who may also have committed sex crimes against minors. Some have questioned the official ruling that Epstein's death was a suicide.
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