Why Trump is withholding Epstein files he promised to release
"Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration? They created the Epstein Files."TRUMP's STANCE ON EPSTEIN FILES, NOW VS THENIn 2019, Donald Trump suggested that Jeffrey Epstein's death was a cover-up and called for a full investigation, according to the AP.The AP report also said that Trump, before his second term in the White House, had shared a post by conservative comedian Terrance K Williams, who hinted that former President Bill Clinton might have been involved in the Epstein case too. In his comment, Trump said Epstein "had information on Bill Clinton & now he's dead."When asked about his retweet, Trump said he was simply calling for a full investigation – just a day after then-Attorney General Bill Barr cited "serious irregularities" at Epstein's prison.In a 2023 interview, Trump told commentator Tucker Carlson that he believed that Epstein had died by suicide. But he couched his response, saying it was also "possible" that he had been murdered, a theory he said "many people" believed, AP reported.Last year on Fox News, Trump said he would declassify the "Epstein files", but quickly added, "less so", citing concerns about "phoney stuff" that could unfairly affect people's lives.However, last week Trump dismissed Epstein's talk as "unbelievable" amid other pressing issues.In a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump called it "unbelievable" and a "desecration" that people were still talking about "this creep", given other pressing matters, including the catastrophic flooding in Texas.Soon after his U-turn on Epstein files, there was backlash from both MAGA circles and opponents.Notably, Attorney General Pam Bondi is also facing criticism after memo released by the justice department failed to deliver what many had hoped would be major revelations in the Epstein case.Attorney General Pam Bondi in May said there were "tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn." That fuelled a belief that details about powerful figures had been suppressed, news agency AP reported.advertisement"It's a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public," she was quoted as saying by the news agency.However, last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that Epstein, who allegedly died by suicide in 2019, never maintained a formal "client list," and announced it would not release any additional documents tied to his sex trafficking investigation.Trump wrote on his Truth Social on Sunday, "What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening."WHY IS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NOT RELEASING EPSTEIN FILES?The reasons behind Trump's refusal are layered and ambiguous.Last month, Trump's former aide and tech billionaire Elon Musk alleged that the DOJ is hiding Epstein files over Trump links, without giving any evidence to back his allegation.The White House rubbished those claims, and the post was deleted by Musk, BBC reported.But Trump's name is among those that appear in flight logs for Epstein's private plane. Trump flew on Epstein's private jet several times in the 1990s, mostly between Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City, according to flight logs that were released as evidence in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein abuse underage girls, Newsweek reported.advertisementNotably, individuals named in the documents are not necessarily accused of wrongdoing, and Trump has not been linked to any offences committed by Epstein or Maxwell, the report added.Commentator Bill O'Reilly has suggested that Trump may be reluctant to release the files out of concern for individuals named in them who aren't tied to Epstein's crimes, warning that revealing names without context could unfairly "destroy" innocent people.On NewsNation's Cuomo show last Wednesday, O'Reilly said he had spoken with Trump about the Epstein files on St Patrick's Day, Newsweek reported."He said, and I agree, there are a lot of names associated with Epstein that had nothing to do with Epstein's conduct," O'Reilly said in the interview."They maybe had lunch with him or maybe had some correspondence for one thing or another," he added."If that name gets out, those people are destroyed because there's not going to be any context (sic)," he was quoted as saying by Newsweek.advertisementTrump has faced criticism from his supporters for not releasing the Epstein files in his second term, with some calling it a betrayal of his "anti-deep state" promises.In response, Trump has downplayed the issue, calling Epstein a "creep" and suggesting the files are a Democratic hoax, urging supporters to focus on other issues. This has led to accusations from both supporters and opponents that he's avoiding transparency.The limited release of Epstein-related documents may partly reflect valid concerns over victim privacy and legal restrictions, as the DOJ maintains. However, the Trump administration's inconsistent messaging – publicly promising transparency while offering little – has only deepened public suspicion.While Musk's unsupported claims and Trump's past (non-criminal) connections to Epstein add fuel to the fire, there is no solid evidence proving that Trump is holding back the files to protect himself.Pam Bondi released the "first phase" of newly declassified Epstein files in February, but the documents offered no significant new allegations or revelations about Epstein or his associates.The first phase of declassified files largely contains documents that have been previously leaked but never released in a formal capacity by the US Government, DOJ said.advertisementWHAT IS IN THE EPSTEIN FILESThe term "Epstein files" broadly refers to a collection of legal records – such as court documents, depositions, and filings – that detail Jeffrey Epstein's alleged criminal activities.Epstein was a wealthy financier who was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. His ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was charged for allegedly helping him abuse teenage girls.Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after he was arrested. Investigators concluded he killed himself. Maxwell was later convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to a report by the Associated Press (AP).- EndsMust Watch
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