The Indo Daily: Trump's broken promises: Why the Epstein files are causing a MAGA meltdown
During his election campaign last year, Trump promised to release Epstein-related files if elected, stirring hopes among his base that powerful elites complicit in Epstein's sex-trafficking network would be exposed.
In February, Trump's attorney general Pam Bondi fanned the flames, saying the alleged client list was 'sitting on my desk right now to review'.
But last week, the US justice department and the FBI declared that Epstein's death was conclusively ruled a suicide, and that no such client list exists.
The announcement triggered outrage within MAGA ranks. Many of Trump's staunchest supporters are now accusing the administration of a cover-up and backpedalling on its promise to uncover the truth.
Trump lashed out at his own base, dismissing the Epstein files as a 'hoax'.
With pressure mounting, can Trump ride out the backlash, or will his refusal to deliver on the Epstein files fracture the movement he built?
And can he pivot attention, as he often does, back to safer ground, like tariffs and trade wars?
On today's Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by Lorcan Nyhan, Head of Training at the Communications Clinic, and Nikki McCann Ramirez, Political Reporter with Rolling Stone, to ask whether Donald Trump can ride out the Epstein storm or will this be the conspiracy that sinks him?
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