Trump Kept Epstein Issue at Arm's Length. His Allies Did Not
While the idea of a secret 'Epstein client list' became a fixation for far-right influencers and members of Trump's base, the candidate himself rarely brought up Epstein unprompted in campaign speeches or rallies. Instead, it was Trump's official and unofficial surrogates—many of whom now occupy top posts in his Administration—who repeatedly stoked expectations that explosive revelations were imminent, often suggesting prosecutions were coming and that thousands of pages of damning material would soon be released.
Now many in Trump's base are accusing him of falling far short of what they expected him to do with the Epstein case, partly because of years of rhetoric from his allies that neither Trump nor his campaign did much to refute. After the Justice Department and FBI announced this month that there is no incriminating 'client list' and no further disclosures would be made, Trump lashed out at his own supporters who were calling on him to release the files. 'My PAST supporters have bought into this 'bull—t,' hook, line, and sinker,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'I don't want their support anymore!'
But some of his supporters pointed out that it was Trump himself who had deployed Epstein's alleged client list as political ammunition a decade ago, as he was laying groundwork for his first presidential run. At the conservative conference known as CPAC in February 2015, when Trump was asked for his thoughts on former President Bill Clinton, he responded: 'Nice guy. Got a lot of problems coming up in my opinion with the famous island with Jeffrey Epstein. A lot of problems.'
Asked later that year by Bloomberg about Clinton and the alleged sexual abuse that took place on Epstein's private Caribbean island, Trump said, 'That island was really a cesspool. There's no question about it. Just ask Prince Andrew. He'll tell you about it.'
Here is a snapshot of what Trump and his top allies said about the Epstein files during the 2024 campaign season and into the early months of his second term.
Trump's statements
June 2, 2024 — Trump on Fox & Friends
In a lengthy interview, Trump was asked about declassifying files from high-profile investigations. He didn't hesitate in agreeing to declassify files from investigations into the Sept. 11 attacks and the Jan. 6 insurrection. When asked about Epstein, he was more circumspect.
Host Rachel Campos-Duffy: 'Would you declassify the Epstein files?'
Trump: 'Yeah, yeah, I would. I guess I would. I think that less so, because you don't know — You don't want to affect people's lives if there's phony stuff in there, because there's a lot of phony stuff in that whole world. But I think I would, or at least—'
Duffy: 'Do you think that would restore trust — help restore trust.'
Trump: 'Yeah. I don't know about Epstein so much as I do the others. Certainly about the way he died. It'd be interesting to find out what happened there, because that was a weird situation and the cameras didn't happen to be working, etc., etc. But yeah, I'd go a long way toward that one.'
Sept. 3, 2024 — Lex Fridman's podcast
Trump was more assertive when asked by Friedman about releasing Epstein's client list.
Trump: 'Yeah, I'd certainly take a look at it. … Yeah, I'd be inclined to do the Epstein, I'd have no problem with it.'Vice President J.D. Vance
Trump announced Vance, a Republican Senator from Ohio, as his running mate in July 2024.
Oct. 22, 2024 — Theo Von's podcast
Two weeks before the election, Vance said on Von's program that the government should release files about the criminal investigation into Epstein. On July 16, Von reposted the clip on X with the caption: 'Yeah what changed?'
Vance: 'Seriously, we need to release the Epstein list. That is an important thing.'
FBI Director Kash Patel
The staunch Trump defender who appeared on the campaign trail with Trump has peddled conspiracy theories about the Epstein case for years. In 2023, he wrote a book titled 'Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth and the Battle for Our Democracy.'
Dec. 23, 2023 — Patel on Truth Social
'Been calling for ALL of it to be released so the public can have accountability- we must find out who pedo'd around with Epstein: Barr totally failed'
September 22, 2024 — Patel on Truth Social
'Anyone else want to see the Diddy list, that the FBI and DOJ have but wont release… just like Epstein blackbook?
The Deep State won't end until we put @realDonaldTrump back at 1600 Penn'
Jan. 30, 2025 — Patel at his Senate confirmation hearing
Sen. Marsha Blackburn: 'So, will you work with me on this issue so we know who worked with Jeffrey Epstein in building these sex trafficking rings?'
Patel: 'Absolutely, Senator.'
May 28, 2025 — Patel on Fox News
Host Bret Baier: 'You're not going to withhold information from the public?'
Patel: 'I'm not going to withhold information from the American public, ever. … It takes time to go through years of investigations, years of political maneuvering, and years of cover-up.'
June 6, 2025 — Patel on the Joe Rogan Experience
Rogan: 'Is there evidence that there's video? Is there evidence that it was moved around?'
Patel: 'You're going to get all that information. … That's literally what we're putting together. And we're going to give you every single thing we have and can.'
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department is the main government official tasked with reviewing and coordinating the release of any Epstein-related information. She had initially said that Epstein's client list was "sitting on my desk right now to review.' A DOJ memo later contradicted that statement, saying there was no evidence of such a list.
Feb. 21, 2025 — Bondi on Fox News
Host John Roberts: 'DOJ may be releasing the list of Jeffrey Epstein's clients? Will that really happen?'
Bondi: 'It is sitting on my desk right now, to review.'
Feb. 26, 2025 — Bondi on Fox News
Host Jesse Watters: 'You said you have the Epstein files on your desk.'
Bondi: 'I do.'
March 1, 2025 — Bondi on Fox News
Host Mark Levin: 'So once all that's gathered you're just going to put it out in the public…?'
Bondi: 'Well, certainly, nothing can be withheld on that.'
March 3, 2025 — Bondi on Fox News
Bondi: 'A truckload of evidence arrived. It's now in the possession of the FBI. Kash is going to get me and himself really a detailed report as to why all these documents and evidence had been withheld.'
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino
Before joining the FBI, Bongino was a prominent right-wing podcaster who often raised questions about the handling of Epstein's case.
May 1, 2023 - Bongino on "The Dan Bongino Show"
'There are a lot of people who are knee-deep in the Washington swamp who are not telling you the truth about serious allegations out there that Epstein may have had video and audio of people out there doing things they shouldn't have been doing.'
Legal Counsel Alina Habba
Trump's chief legal aide hyped up the release of the Epstein files earlier this year. In March, Trump named her interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.
Feb. 27, 2025 — Trump's legal counsel Alina Habba on Piers Morgan Uncensored
Morgan: 'Do you think that by releasing information from these files we are likely to see criminal actions being taken?'
Habba: 'Absolutely. I think it would be negligent for us not to. You have to hold individuals who are indeed rapists, accountable. We have to have them tried, in my opinion.'
March 11, 2025 — Habba on the Benny Johnson Show
Habba: 'They are going through it. … When you are wanting to prosecute and actually do something with the information that you have, you have to make sure that you save the integrity of the investigation so that we can bring these people to justice…'
March 25, 2025 — Habba on the Benny Johnson Show
Habba: 'Those people that were crossing state lines and trafficking those girls or having sex with minors will be prosecuted.'
Former advisor Elon Musk
Musk formally endorsed Trump in the summer of 2024, and was soon hosting rallies in Pennsylvania on his behalf and appearing alongside him. He later became a top White House adviser before they had a falling out.
Oct. 7, 2024—Musk on Tucker Carlson program on X
'Part of why Kamala is getting so much support is that, if Trump wins, that Epstein client list is going to become public. And some of those billionaires behind Kamala are terrified of that outcome."
Feb. 28, 2025 — Musk on the Joe Rogan Experience
Rogan: 'It's so frustrating to be sitting in this situation where the list isn't coming out.'
Musk: 'Well, it better come out, hopefully tomorrow. … I think the public will be rightly frustrated if no one is prosecuted for the Epstein client list, no one at all. At least, the top five or something? … There should at least be an attempt at prosecution of the worst offenders.'
Donald Trump Jr.
While the President's son does not have an official position in Trump's Administration, on the campaign trail he emerged as one of the most vocal figures calling on the Epstein files to be released.
July 8, 2023 — Trump Jr. on X:
Trump Jr.: 'Show us all the Epstein client list now!!! Why would anyone protect those scum bags? Ask yourselves this question daily and the answer becomes very apparent!!'
Jan. 2, 2024 — Trump Jr. on X
'Everyone knows Bill Clinton was on Jeffrey Epstein's plane and island a lot. Literally no one is at all surprised that he's all over the release. What we want to know is ALL THE OTHER NAMES that the government has been hiding & running cover for. That will actually be revealing!'
Jan. 3, 2024 — Trump Jr. on X
Trump Jr.: 'I keep hearing about some of the Jeffrey Epstein clients names being released today but I'd be willing to bet that something happens between now and then that prevents those names from ever coming out. You just know that's coming, though I hope to be proven wrong.
June 15, 2024 — Trump Jr. at a Turning Point USA event
Trump Jr.: 'I am on every list except the Epstein list. We haven't heard anything about that one in a while… How is it that my father could be convicted of 34 crimes, but no one on Epstein's list has even been brought to light? It's almost like they're trying to protect those pedophiles.'
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