Latest news with #EpsteinControversy
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Not even AI Obama can distract from Trump's Epstein crisis
For a little over two hours, Donald Trump's Truth Social timeline filled with an AI generated clip of Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office, plugs for a friend's book and a three-minute video of 25 improbable stunts. Nowhere in the 22-strong flurry of posts did the US president mention Jeffrey Epstein and the crisis engulfing his presidency. Instead, as Democrats seek to keep the controversy in the headlines, Mr Trump is intent on changing the subject. Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist, said it was a familiar tactic to make bad news go away. 'He's made everything else go away,' he said. 'So why shouldn't he be able to make this go away?' On his social media feed Mr Trump discussed his thoughts on the Washington's NFL team, demanding it return to its old 'Redskins', saying he would block its attempt to build a new stadium in the city if it did not. 'Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen,' he claimed. 'Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them.' He hit out at Obama administration officials over intelligence findings that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, a controversy reheated in the throes of the Epstein crisis last week by Tulsi Gabbard, his director of national intelligence. He shared an AI generated video depicting Mr Trump and Mr Obama sitting side by side in the Oval Office before FBI agents descend on the former Democrat president, forcing him to his knees and handcuffing him. It then then cuts to a forlorn-looking Mr Obama wearing orange overalls in prison. He also posted a compilation video including clips of a bikini-wearing woman grabbing a king cobra as it slithered toward her, motorbike trick riding, surfboard stunts, and a red Lamborghini swerving beneath a lorry before emerging unscathed on the other side. Donald J. Trump Truth Social 07.20.25 06:41 PM EST — Fan Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 20, 2025 On Thursday evening, the Wall Street Journal published details of a birthday message Mr Trump allegedly wrote Epstein many years ago in which he wrote about the pair having 'certain things in common'. The White House pushed back on any idea that the president was trying to change the subject with his flurry of social media posts. 'President Trump's Truth social posts articulate the most consequential first six months of any administration in history, confirmation of the Russiagate hoax and his transparency at all times with the American people,' Taylor Rogers, a White House spokesperson, said. A senior administration official added that the story was rumbling around Washington but had faded from view beyond. 'This is a media obsession. Voters are more interested in real things like inflation coming down and illegal immigrants being sent home,' they said. But Democrats think they have an issue they can weaponise through the midterm elections next year. 'The line from the White House is that Twitter isn't real life, but the reality of our current politics is that these social media influencers, podcasters, and pseudo operatives are frequently setting the conversation,' said Nick Ryan, a Democratic strategist. 'There's a reason smart Democrats are hammering this fissure.' It is a reminder to voters that Mr Trump is not like them, runs the thinking. 'Whose side are you on?' Ro Khanna, the California Democrat, told Politico. He is one of the figures pushing an amendment to release all the Epstein documents. 'Are you voting to protect rich and powerful men, or are you standing with America's children and the people?' The crisis began as a Maga movement push to remind Mr Trump that he had promised to release all the documents related to the Epstein investigation, amid claims that they contained the names of other powerful abusers. When his Department of Justice announced it had reviewed the files, and that it would not be releasing them, there was an outcry among some of Mr Trump's most loyal supporters. After details of the lewd birthday card Mr Trump allegedly sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 emerged last week, the president denied sending the message and promptly sued the newspaper and its proprietor Rupert Murdoch. Since then the president has avoided taking questions from journalists. He spoke at a bill signing on Friday for more than 30 minutes about everything from the economy to his election win and his predecessor Joe Biden, taking the time to introduce more than a dozen members of Congress, without ever mentioning Epstein. 'We worked hard. It's a very important act, the genius act. They named it after me,' he said just before signing the act. 'I want to thank you. This is a hell of an act.'
CNN
16-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump On Epstein Controversy: 'I Don't Understand Why It's Still Going' - Anderson Cooper 360 - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Trump On Epstein Controversy: 'I Don't Understand Why It's Still Going' Anderson Cooper 360 47 mins If President Trump trying to put the lid on the Jeffrey Epstein story, why does he keep talking about what's in the pot? Plus, the President defends his decision to give Russia more than a month and a half to come to terms with Ukraine even as Moscow continues its attacks.
