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The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Get over it': some middle America Trump supporters remain unfazed over Epstein files tumult
It has united luminaries of the far right, from media personality Tucker Carlson to activist Laura Loomer, from tech billionaire Elon Musk to congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Typically unwavering in support of Donald Trump, all have criticised his administration's handling of files about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But in towns and cities across the US, a more complicated and nuanced picture emerges, serving as a reminder that – like any other political constituency – Trump voters are not a monolith. Some of the US president's supporters are undoubtedly animated by the Epstein issue and urging Congress to push for greater transparency. 'It's the number one phone call that we get. By far,' Eric Burlison, a Republican congressman from Missouri, told CNN this week. 'It's probably 500 to one.' But others seem to be shrugging off the crisis as they have so many others that seemed to threaten Trump's political career. They remain fiercely loyal to a president they believe is delivering low inflation, strong border security and sweeping reversals of progressive policies. They are willing to take White House advice to 'trust in Trump'. That was the prevailing mood this week in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a former steel town and Democratic stronghold that swung heavily for Trump in last November's election. 'Trump is right about everything, no matter what he does,' was the blunt take of Teddy, 55, wearing a Stars and Stripes hat and sitting on a bench in Central Park in downtown Johnstown. 'Epstein – he's dead, that's it, it's over.' Did he have no concern that Trump's name is reportedly listed in the Epstein files which have yet to be made public? 'That's a bunch of bullshit,' said Teddy, who didn't want to give his last name. 'The world should move on, get over it.' Curt, 51, another Trump supporter in Central Park, who was recently released from state prison, expressed similar views. The only people who were in a nervous state about Trump's relationship with Epstein were Democrats, he said. 'Epstein was a piece of shit and got what he deserved. As for Trump, they haven't come up with any evidence that he actually did anything,' he said. Pennsylvania was crucial in tipping Trump over the line of 270 electoral college votes needed to win the White House. Rural areas in the west of the state responded especially favourably to his promises to bring back manufacturing, reduce living costs and drive out immigrants. Trump won Cambria county, which includes Johnstown, by 68% to Joe Biden's 31%. At the local Walmart, Pam, who also asked not to give her last name, said she didn't believe that Trump's name was in the files. 'Trump has morals – it may not seem like he does, but deep down he does. He wanted to protect the United States when nobody else did.' As for media coverage of the story, she said: 'My uncle was in the Secret Service. He used to tell me that everything you see on TV is what they want you to believe, not what is actually happening.' Trump has been under growing pressure from political friends and foes alike to release more information about the justice department's investigation into Epstein, a disgraced financier who officials ruled died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. After Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, promised to disclose additional materials related to possible Epstein clients and the circumstances surrounding his death, the justice department reversed course this month and said there was no basis to continue investigating and no evidence of a client list. That sparked an outcry from some of Trump's base of supporters who have long believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful. On Friday, Trump denied reports that he was told by Bondi in May that his own name appeared in the Epstein files. Yet interviews by the Guardian in multiple states found Republicans generally willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt – and suspicious that he is the victim of a double standard. Gavin Rollins, a lawyer from Orlando, Florida, acknowledged disappointment in the way the administration's initial communications raised expectations but praised Trump for doing a 'phenomenal job' overall. 'I think on the Epstein thing, I wish things had been handled a little bit differently,' he admitted. 'I think the rollout was less than smooth. I would say that it's important but I also believe in giving grace to people and he's gotten so many things right.' Jeff Davis, the Republican party chair in Greenville county, South Carolina, accused the media of using the Epstein controversy to falsely portray a divide in the Maga (Make America great again) movement. He said: 'I think the Epstein issue is obviously critical and important but I think what most people care about is that the Trump agenda – the Maga 'America first' agenda – is being promoted. I think [Epstein is] being used as a distraction.' Davis added: 'We can walk and chew gum at the same time. They need to pursue the Epstein thing to the nth degree but I think most people are interested in the results of the things that the Trump administration is doing, as opposed to analysing this issue from the old days.' Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Mary Smith, the party chair in Dickson county, Tennessee, said: 'If Donald Trump's name is linked to something, it's like a shark fest, whereas if it's somebody else's name attached, 'Oh, it's no big deal,' and it's swept under the rug. I get so tired of that whole focus on Trump.' Despite Democrats' efforts to keep attention focused on the Epstein saga, some are ready to move on. James Bennett, who runs a lumber company and is Republican party chair in Calhoun county, Alabama, said: 'As far as I'm concerned with Trump, it's about run its course. I know the Democrats are the ones out there trying to put gas on the fire, but you know, the fire's about out.' That may prove wishful thinking. Just 17% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the Epstein case, a weaker rating than the president received on any other issue in a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll last week. Among Republicans, 35% approve and 29% disapprove, while the rest said they are unsure or did not answer the question. Whit Ayres, a Republican consultant and pollster, draws a distinction between Trump voters who identify as part of the Maga movement and those attracted by his pledges to bring down inflation, juice the economy, close the southern border and tackle 'woke' culture. 'For the Maga group, this is a very big deal,' Ayres said. 'Many of them bought into all the conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein, whether it was the fact that he abused a bunch of kids and then covered it up or symptomatic of a widespread deep state conspiracy protecting elites and the privileged in general. 'For the other people who voted for Trump, it is disturbing but not as compelling as it is for the Maga crowd. They are more interested in whether he is going to be able to bring inflation down than they are in Epstein. That's not to say that Epstein is not a disturbing story for them, but it's more a matter of perspective.' Yet another survey published this week again challenged the conventional wisdom. An Economist/YouGov poll found that Republican voters who identify as 'Maga' were more likely to approve of how the president is dealing with the Epstein investigation (56%) than those who do not (38%). Overall among Republicans, 45% approve and 25% disapprove, with the remaining 30% unsure. One such Maga voter is Mike Boatman, 57, who has attended about a hundred Trump campaign rallies, including the one last year in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the then Republican nominee survived an assassination attempt. His faith remains unshaken. 'I'm backing President Trump,' said Boatman, an independent contractor from Evansville, Indiana. 'He knows more than what we know about the situation. There's more important concerns for me than the Epstein files. 'There's so much that President Trump needs to get done. He's got three and a half years to get it done. Don't get me wrong, I'm against paedophiles and whoever has done that with Epstein should be punished. But there's more important things.' Still, the story continues to dominate headlines and put heat on Republicans in the House of Representatives. They went on recess a day early to avoid holding a vote on releasing Epstein material. Mike Johnson, the House speaker, insisted the Epstein case is 'not a hoax' despite Trump using that very word. The president has been defiant, describing supporters hung up on the issue as 'weaklings' who were helping Democrats. 'I don't want their support anymore!' Trump said in a social media post. This week, he sought to distract his followers by making the baseless claim that Barack Obama and his officials fabricated intelligence reports to assert that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, accusing his predecessor of treason. Next he might try something even more extreme to change the narrative. Reed Galen, president of the Union, a pro-democracy coalition, said: 'My real fear is that he gets us into some sort of Wag the Dog thing where all of the distraction isn't working so he decides to throw up some gigantic bright, shiny object that gets us all in trouble.' But otherwise Galen is sceptical that the Epstein scandal will have far-reaching political implications. 'To me, the flip side of this is: what difference does it make? I shouldn't say that as a means of diminishing the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein or the pain of his victims. I'm looking at this from a purely electoral perspective. 'He's not going to leave office. The midterms are 15 months, 16 months away. Do I think this is fodder for the left and the media and even the true Magas who are like, 'What's happening?' Yeah. Do I think that ultimately, a year from now, we'll be talking about this? Hard to believe.'
Bloomberg
18-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Work More to Earn Less: France's New Revolution
There's been only one topic of conversation in the brasseries of France this week: Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's proposal to scrap two of three public holidays in the month of May to contain the spiraling budget deficit. In the land of the 35-hour work week, this is tantamount to treason. Most of the public seems to hate it, unions have called it a declaration of war and the far right has called it a provocation. The outrage is a little overdone. Knocking off two public holidays would leave the French with nine, which looks positively Germanic — until you add their 25 paid vacation days, which gets France in almost the same ballpark as Spain. (And no need to mention the extra days that many private-sector workers get for working more than 35 hours.) And while there's been plenty of gnashing of teeth at Bayrou's description of the month of May as 'gruyere' cheese — full of holes — it's kind of true. France is a place where the calendar is a Sudoku puzzle to find the ideal combo of holidays and vacation; this year, it's been possible to strategically place five days' vacation and get 32 days off.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
YAHOO POLL: Does cutting public holidays help boost the economy?
French prime minister, Francois Bayrou has made headlines for his plans to cancel two public holidays as part of radical measures to reduce France's ballooning deficit, boost its economy and manage debt. Bayrou has suggested scrapping Easter Monday and 8 May (a day commemorating the end of World War II in Europe) which would leave France with nine national holidays. The French PM believes two extra days of working would add "several billions of euros" to the country but the proposition has been met with fierce criticism from the political left and far right – and calls for Bayrou to face another no-confidence vote. Other polls YAHOO POLL: Do you neglect your health for your career? YAHOO POLL: Is it fair to ban cyclists from pedestrian-only paths? YAHOO POLL: Are you excited to watch James Gunn's 'Superman' film? But it has also gained some support. An opinion piece in The Telegraph urged Britain's chief financial minister Rachel Reeves to reconsider national holidays in the UK. "Our debt level is dangerously close to 100% of GDP (in France it's 110%) and we too have a serious productivity problem and every reason to worry about the sustainability of our public finances," wrote Jill Kirby in the piece. Bayrou's idea is that working two extra days will generate more revenue for the government but economic studies suggest it won't be as simple as that. In fact, there are also studies which conclude that leisure – or an increase in public holidays – can act as an economic boost, up to a certain point. So, we want to know: Does cutting public holidays help boost the economy? Related French PM may scrap two public holidays to reduce country's crippling debt French PM proposes cutting national holidays to cut debt France in revolt over PM's proposition to abolish two public holidays as part of budget cuts France is getting something right: let's scrap a few Bank Holidays Analysis-France's plan to cull public holidays may not help the economy
