Most Americans think Trump administration is covering up evidence in Epstein case, new poll finds
A poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov from July 11 to 14 found 67 percent of Americans believe the government is hiding evidence related to the late financier, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to the sexual abuse of dozens of minor girls. He had pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
After Epstein's death — which the Justice Department and FBI confirmed was a suicide in a memo released earlier this month — conspiracy theories swirled about the late financier's life, including the powerful people who are speculated to have partaken in his crimes. Conspiracy theorists also weren't convinced Epstein killed himself.
The feds' memo also said there was never any Epstein client list and, 'There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.'
Only 8 percent of respondents in the new poll believe the government is not covering up evidence about Epstein, while 25 percent are unsure.
When asked if the government should release all documents relating to the feds' Epstein case, 79 percent of respondents said it should. Only 5 percent said the government shouldn't release the files, and 17 percent were unsure.
The feds' memo sparked backlash from Trump's base, who were promised the Epstein files.
In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News evidence of a client list was 'sitting on my desk right now to review.'
When the feds' evidence came up short, people started to ask questions.
'They've got videotape and all a sudden they don't,' Podcaster Joe Rogan said on his show Tuesday.
Rogan name-dropped Bondi, saying, 'Why'd they say there was thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible s***? Why'd they say that? Didn't [Attorney General] Pam Bondi say that?'
Bondi told reporters in May, 'There are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and there are hundreds of victims,' according to the Miami Herald.
The feds' memo said there was 'a large volume of images of Epstein, images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors, and over ten thousand downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography.'
But the memo fell short of incriminating anyone else who may have been associated with Epstein.
Trump had socialized with Epstein decades ago when he was a New York real estate mogul.
The president was accused of being on Epstein's client list by tech billionaire Elon Musk, whose relationship with the president turned sour after his short stint at the White House, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk did not provide any evidence to prove Trump was on any suspected list.
House Democrats tried to advance a procedural motion that would have cleared the way for lawmakers to vote to release the Epstein files, but Republicans blocked it on Tuesday.
When asked about the memo at a recent Cabinet meeting, Trump said, 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years.'
'I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question on Epstein at a time like this, where we're having some of the greatest success and also tragedy with what happened in Texas. It just seems like a desecration,' Trump said, referring to the July 4 flooding disaster along the Guadalupe River.
Trump defended Bondi to reporters Tuesday, saying she handled the review of the Epstein files 'very well.' When asked if his name appeared in any documents, he said, 'No.'
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