Donald Trump has dismissed the idea that any solid, incriminating evidence exists about his involvement with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after a firestorm erupted over his administration’s failure to release files relating to the case, as promised before the 2024 election.
The president has now instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “pertinent” files on the criminal investigation into Epstein, “subject to Court approval.”
Late Friday afternoon, Bondi filed a motion in New York “to release grand jury transcripts associated with" the Epstein case. The Justice Department and FBI still retain the bulk of what those calling for transparency are demanding to see.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have asked Bondi in a letter about the FBI's review of those files, specifically why it took an additional three months to release a memorandum on the findings, and why agents were instructed to flag any mention of Trump.
This follows a bombshell report by The Wall Street Journal which a bawdy message and doodle from Trump among an album of letters celebrating Epstein’s 50th birthday.
The president has denied that the drawing or letter was his doing and is now suing the Journal, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two journalists.
Trump faces backlash from own supporters as poll reveals anger over Epstein files
‘Bawdy’ birthday card that Trump reportedly sent to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Elon Musk leaps to Donald Trump’s defense following WSJ ‘hit piece’
The Epstein List: Full list of names revealed in unsealed court records
Key points
- AG Pam Bondi files motion to release Epstein grand jury transcripts
- Trump files lawsuit against Murdoch, WSJ and NewsCorp over Epstein birthday card expose
- FBI told to 'flag' mentions of Trump in Epstein files, Democrat claims in letter to Bondi
- White House knew about the Trump letter story for days - and were on a ‘f***ing warpath’ to stop it
- Day by day, how the Epstein files saga unfolded during Trump’s administration
- Who is mentioned in the Epstein Files?
Trump tired of defending Pam Bondi's handling of Epstein files: report
03:14 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump has grown tired of defending Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of government files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and wants her to take responsibility for fixing the situation, NBC News reported, citing four people familiar with the matter.
Trump has stood by his attorney general despite the backlash the administration has faced after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo earlier this month saying there was never any client list from the wealthy financier, which some suspect would expose powerful people who may have partaken in Epstein’s crimes.
“I do think that he likes and respects Pam, but she has without question caused some headaches for them,” one of NBC News’ sources said. “At the end of the day, at this point she is almost assuredly is just doing what she is told, so I believe she is very safe, but has had missteps.”
When asked about the White House’s opinion of Bondi’s job performance, one senior White House official told the outlet they thought the situation had “stabilized.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to the Independent: “Attorney General Pam Bondi is working tirelessly to end the weaponization that has rotted our justice system, remove violent criminals from our streets, and help President Trump in making America safe again. The president is appreciative of her efforts.”
The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.
This week in headlines: The Epstein files
02:00 , Rachel DobkinHere are some top headlines this week on the controversy surrounding the government’s files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein:
Monday:
Epstein Files spark unprecedented division between president and MAGA base
Tuesday:
Trump claims Epstein files were made up by Obama, Biden, and Comey
Wednesday:
Trump rants that his ‘PAST’ supporters have bought into Jeffrey Epstein ‘Hoax’
Thursday:
Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein: ‘Subject to court approval’
Friday:
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Trump sues Murdoch and WSJ for $10B over Epstein birthday card expose
Release of grand jury transcripts still needs judge's approval — and there are strict rules
01:00 , Oliver O'ConnellThe notice on the federal court docket in Florida concerning President Donald Trump’s law suit against Rupert Murdoch and his companies and publication, appeared moments before Attorney General Pam Bondi and deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche filed a motion in federal court in Manhattan asking a judge to unseal grand jury testimony in Epstein’s case in an apparent attempt to quell concerns from the president’s allies that the Department of Justice was participating in a cover-up.
The release of that testimony — which amounts to only a fraction of the evidence in the so-called “Epstein files” — would still need approval from a judge, who must navigate strict rules surrounding grand jury secrecy and protections for witnesses and victims.
That could take some time.
The administration has declined to release a separate and likely much larger tranche of evidence that was mentioned in an index in what the administration labelled “phase one” of the release of evidence earlier this year, when far-right influencers were invited to the White House to receive binders of mostly previously released documents in the case.
Trump announces his 'powerhouse' lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal after bombshell Jeffrey Epstein report
Saturday 19 July 2025 00:07 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump announced Friday evening his team filed a “powerhouse” lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal after it published a bombshell report claiming the president gave the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a bawdy birthday card in 2003.
“We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is, The Wall Street Journal,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
The lawsuit, which includes defendants such as media mogul Rupert Murdoch, seeks $10 billion.
ANALYSIS: Why isn’t Fox News covering the Wall Street Journal’s bombshell scoop of the Trump-Epstein letter?
Friday 18 July 2025 23:35 , Oliver O'ConnellJustin Baragona writes:
The political media world was thrown into chaos Thursday night when the Wall Street Journal published a bombshell story about a birthday letter Donald Trump apparently wrote to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting the president to sue the publication and Rupert Murdoch, the paper’s owner and founder of Fox News.
On Friday, the president filed a libel lawsuit against the right-wing media mogul and The Wall Street Journal’s parent companies, News Corp and Dow Jones, following the newspaper’s publication of Trump’s alleged birthday letter to Epstein.
However, regular consumers of Fox News may be oblivious to this blockbuster report – that sparked outcry from MAGA supporters and seemingly prompted the president to ask Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “pertinent” grand jury testimony in the Epstein case – because the conservative cable giant has avoided mention of it.
Continue reading...
Why isn’t Fox News covering sister publication’s scoop of the Trump-Epstein letter?
Trump claims he never ‘wrote a picture'
Friday 18 July 2025 23:13 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump has strongly pushed back against the bombshell Wall Street Journal report that alleged he drew a “bawdy” sketch in a birthday message to celebrate convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.
“I never wrote a picture in my life,” he said in a rebuttal to the newspaper, vehemently denying having anything to do with the card.
In a Truth Social tirade late Thursday, the president declared, “I don’t draw pictures.”
Unfortunately for Trump, as James Liddell reports, that’s not quite true...
Trump claims he never ‘wrote a picture.’ His sketchy Epstein lie has now been exposed
Democrats demand answers from Fox News on edits to Trump’s Epstein comments
Friday 18 July 2025 23:10 , Oliver O'ConnellThe ranking Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the top executives at Fox News demanding answers about the right-wing network’s editing of a 2024 interview with Donald Trump, claiming it misled the public about the then-candidate’s stance on releasing documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Justin Baragona reports.
House Democrats demand answers from Fox News on edits to Trump’s Epstein comments
ANALYSIS: Laura Loomer’s witch hunt just made Trump’s Epstein problems even worse
Friday 18 July 2025 22:50 , Oliver O'ConnellJohn Bowden writes:
Laura Loomer re-entered the Trump White House’s periphery this week at precisely the worst possible moment for a president trying to stop a firestorm from spreading.
As Donald Trump continues battling the blaze of controversy surrounding his administration’s reversal on the issue of releasing a list of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, the so-called “Epstein Client List,” Loomer’s own contribution to the mess may end up letting what little air is left out of the president’s tires.
Read on...
Laura Loomer’s witch hunt just made Trump’s Epstein problems even worse
Watch: DOJ insists release of Epstein grand jury transcripts in public interest
Friday 18 July 2025 22:38 , Oliver O'Connell...but the bulk of the evidence for the case against Jeffrey Epstein remains with the Department of Justice and the FBI, and they are not releasing that. This is unlikely to placate those demanding full transparency.
Here’s CNN’s Paul Reid to explain:
CNN: And they're saying that they will continue to not release the information that they have and have the power to release but they’re saying transparency to the American public is at the utmost importance to this administration pic.twitter.com/IOfXNHcsq1
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 18, 2025
BREAKING: AG Pam Bondi files motion to release Epstein grand jury transcripts
Friday 18 July 2025 22:29 , Oliver O'ConnellAttorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche have filed a motion in New York “to release grand jury transcripts associated with” the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The filing in part reads:
Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter. Indeed, other jurists have released grand jury transcripts after concluding that Epstein’s case qualifies as a matter of public concern. … For these reasons, this Court should conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any preexisting protective orders.
FLASH: Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Atty General Todd Blanche have filed motion in New York "to release grand jury transcripts associated with" Jeffrey Epstein casehttps://t.co/b2m0AacTNy pic.twitter.com/tASYcUjKbG
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) July 18, 2025
Full story: Trump files lawsuit against Murdoch, WSJ and NewsCorp over Epstein birthday card expose
Friday 18 July 2025 22:19 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump has filed a libel lawsuit against right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal’s parent companies, News Corp and Dow Jones, following the newspaper’s publication of the president’s alleged birthday letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Alex Woodward reports.
COMMENT: How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Friday 18 July 2025 22:08 , Oliver O'ConnellJon Sopel writes:
Who owns Maga? I mean, not literally, of course. Maga is an idea rather than a thing. It is not a shop or a book. There are no bricks and mortar – although if I could have had 10 per cent from every red Make America Great Again cap sold, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this article.
The reason I pose the question is that when there was a rumbling disquiet over sending bombers to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, the president swatted his Trumpland critics who said this wasn’t true to the core principles of Maga and America First.
He more or less said, “I invented Maga, so Maga is what I say it is.” It worked. His detractors huffed and puffed a bit, but then they went quiet. The Maga coalition fell into line behind their hero.
But over Jeffrey Epstein – the disgraced millionaire and paedophile who died in custody awaiting trial – it’s all rather different.
Read on...
How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
BREAKING: Trump files suit over Wall Street Journal's Epstein story
Friday 18 July 2025 22:02 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two Wall Street Journal reporters, following a report Thursday on his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. He is raising claims under federal libel law, according to court records.
A copy of the complaint was not immediately available.
Stand by for more details...
RECAP: Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein
Friday 18 July 2025 22:00 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump says he’s asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to release certain Jeffrey Epstein files and relevant grand jury testimony: “subject to court approval.”
The president’s directive follows weeks of uproar surrounding the handling of the so-called Epstein files and after Trump announced his plans to sue the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a bombshell report detailing a bawdy birthday card Trump allegedly gave to Jeffrey Epstein.
Kelly Rissman filed this report last night.
Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein: ‘Subject to court approval’
White House knew about the Trump letter story for days - and were on a ‘f***ing warpath’ to stop it
Friday 18 July 2025 21:48 , Oliver O'ConnellThe White House engaged in an unsuccessful pressure campaign to try and stop the Wall Street Journal from releasing a bombshell story about President Donald Trump sending a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein this past week, according to a report.
Amid intense public criticism around the Epstein Files, White House officials and staffers were on “a f****** warpath” to try to prevent the Journal from publishing the alleged lewd letter, which contained a drawing of the outline of a naked woman, Rolling Stone reported Thursday.
Ariana Baio has the story.
White House was on a ‘f***ing warpath’ to stop Trump letter story for days
Watch: Joe Rogan breaks down why people are angry about the Trump administration and the Epstein list
Friday 18 July 2025 21:40 , Oliver O'ConnellJoe Rogan: "When Trump got into office, one of the things that everyone was promised was we're gonna find out the Epstein client list....You haven't heard a fucking peep about any of that shit...The same people that are pulling the strings are still pulling the strings." pic.twitter.com/qWT3oZN36i
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) July 18, 2025
Ex-Trump Casino boss reveals president brought Epstein and teen girl to gaming floor
Friday 18 July 2025 21:30 , Oliver O'ConnellA former executive at Trump’s Atlantic City casino claimed that the president once brought Jeffrey Epstein and a 19-year-old girl to the gaming floor.
Jack O’Donnell, who was president of the Atlantic City Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino for four years from 1987, told CNN that president “frequently” visited the New Jersey resort with Epstein to attend “special events.”
Rhian Lubin has the details.
‘Trump and Epstein brought teen to casino floor,’ says ex-resort boss
Epstein billboard lights up Times Sqaure
Friday 18 July 2025 21:14 , Oliver O'ConnellNEW Times Square billboard. Why won’t Trump release the Epstein files? Americans want answers. pic.twitter.com/OOYKSt2Hg9
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) July 18, 2025
Elon Musk leaps to Trump’s defense following WSJ ‘hit piece’
Friday 18 July 2025 21:10 , Oliver O'ConnellElon Musk rushed to Donald Trump’s defense after a damning Wall Street Journal report detailed a lewd birthday letter the president allegedly presented to Jeffrey Epstein.
The tech billionaire has repeatedly demanded the release of the unredacted documents related to the disgraced financier’s sex-trafficking case since dropping the “really big bomb” last month, a baseless claim that Trump was withholding the files because they implicated him.
James Liddell reports.
Elon Musk leaps to Donald Trump’s defense following WSJ ‘hit piece’
Tulsi Gabbard calls for prosecutions of everyone involved in 'Russiagate'
Friday 18 July 2025 21:07 , Oliver O'ConnellIf you’re waiting for Attorney General Pam Bondi to ask the courts to unseal the files on Jeffrey Epstein, you will have to keep waiting.
However, in the meantime, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has decided to try to snatch the spotlight by turning over documents relating to the “Russiagate” investigation to the Department of Justice.
Gabbard calls for the investigation and prosecution of “every person involved” in the 2016 election Russian interference conspiracy.
A statement from her office accuses former President Barack Obama and his national security cabinet members of manufacturing and politicizing intelligence “to lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Trump.”
She wrote on X: “Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people.
“No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The integrity of our democratic republic depends on it.
“We are turning over all documents to the DOJ for criminal referral.”
Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people.
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) July 18, 2025
No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The integrity of our democratic republic depends on it.
We… pic.twitter.com/KJ7qrmMv0k
Amid Epstein files furore, Trump told implausible story about the Unabomber
Friday 18 July 2025 20:50 , Oliver O'ConnellThe White House stonewalled Thursday when pressed for an explanation as to why President Donald Trump told a group of business leaders an implausible tale about his late uncle, a noted MIT professor, once teaching Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski.
The Independent asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the president’s bizarre anecdote during a routine press briefing, two days after Trump insisted that Kaczynski, who earned a bachelor's degree at Harvard and a master’s and a PhD at the University of Michigan before going on his deadly terror spree, had been a student of his famous uncle.
Andrew Feinberg filed this report from the White House.
White House still refuses to explain Trump’s impossible Unabomber story
The Trump, Epstein and MAGA controversy explained
Friday 18 July 2025 20:30 , Oliver O'ConnellThe 2019 death in custody of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a New York jail cell generated conspiracy theories, fueled by President Donald Trump's conservative MAGA movement, that he was killed by one of his famous connections.
Here’s a quick explainer on Epstein and why he is suddenly back in the headlines, six years after his death:
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
The Brooklyn-born Epstein, a former high school math teacher who later founded consulting and financial management firms, cultivated a wide circle of rich and famous friends and associates.
He was known for socializing with politicians and royalty, including Trump, Democratic President Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Britain's Prince Andrew. Some friends and clients flew on his private plane and visited his private Caribbean island.
Trump was acquainted with Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s. During the 2021 trial of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier's longtime pilot, Lawrence Visoski, testified that Trump flew on Epstein's private plane multiple times. Trump has denied being on the plane.
What were the charges against Epstein?
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state felony prostitution charge after federal prosecutors agreed not to charge him with sex trafficking of minors. He served 13 months in jail and was required to register as a sex offender. That punishment is now widely considered too lenient.
In July 2019, the Justice Department charged Epstein with sex trafficking minors, including sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of girls, in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005. He pleaded not guilty.
Epstein died on August 10, 2019, at age 66 by hanging himself in a Manhattan jail cell, an autopsy concluded. He was never tried on the 2019 charges.
Why is Epstein back in the headlines?
Though the New York City chief medical examiner determined that Epstein's death was a suicide by hanging, Epstein's ties to wealthy and powerful people prompted speculation that one or more of them wanted him silenced.
In several interviews, Trump left open the possibility that Epstein may not have died by suicide. During the 2024 presidential campaign, when asked on Fox News if he would declassify the Epstein files, Trump said: "Yeah, yeah I would."
In February, Fox News asked Attorney General Pam Bondi whether the Justice Department would be releasing Epstein's client list, and she said: “It's sitting on my desk right now to review.”
Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise. A Justice Department memo released on July 7 concluded that Epstein killed himself and said there was “no incriminating client list” or evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent people.
The demands by Trump supporters for more Epstein-related documents have caused a rare fracture within the president's base. Supporters, inspired by conservative talk show hosts and podcasters, have said the federal government is concealing records to protect wealthy and influential people with ties to Epstein.
Trying to contain the fallout, Trump defended Bondi and accused his supporters in a Truth Social post of falling for a hoax, calling them “weaklings” who were helping Democrats.
Amid a growing backlash from his base, Trump on July 17 requested that Bondi ask a federal judge to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein's 2019 indictment.
What happens next?
Even if Bondi requests that a judge release the grand jury transcripts, the ultimate decision remains with the judge.
Transcripts of grand jury proceedings are generally kept secret under federal criminal procedure rules, with limited exceptions.
If a judge agrees to release the transcripts, it is likely that some material would be redacted, or blacked out, because of privacy or security concerns.
With reporting from Reuters
Watch LIVE: Trump holds bill signing ceremony for crypto GENIUS Act amid Epstein controversy
Friday 18 July 2025 19:48 , Oliver O'Connell
Watch: Mike Johnson claims Trump’s approval rating is at 90%
ANALYSIS: The Wall Street Journal’s Trump story has united MAGA on the Epstein saga over their universal hatred of one thing
Friday 18 July 2025 19:27 , Oliver O'ConnellJustin Baragona writes:
More than a week after Donald Trump’s base looked like it might be fracturing over the Justice Department’s “no client list” Jeffrey Epstein memo, MAGA world got its “perfect offramp” in the ongoing saga thanks to the Wall Street Journal’s latest bombshell.
While on the surface the WSJ’s story – which the president fought tooth and nail to keep from being published – should have inflamed the turmoil on the right as it further exposed just how close the president once was with the deceased sex trafficker, it instead offered MAGA pundits and influencers the chance to join Trump in lambasting their shared enemy – the mainstream press.
Read on...
WSJ’s Trump story unites MAGA on Epstein in their hatred of one thing
How the Epstein files saga has unfolded during Trump's presidency
Friday 18 July 2025 19:16 , Oliver O'ConnellJeffrey Epstein may have been dead for six years, but the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence supporting federal charges of child sex trafficking continue to make headlines.
Here’s how talk of the case came storming back into the national conversation.
The Epstein Files: How the saga unfolded within Trump’s administration
What you need to know so far today
Friday 18 July 2025 19:02 , Oliver O'Connell- The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump allegedly sent a lewd letter and drawing to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday.
- Donald Trump vehemently denied the report, labelling it "fake," and announced plans to sue The Wall Street Journal and its owners.
- Senate Democrats are seeking answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the FBI's review of Epstein files, questioning delays and instructions to flag mentions of Donald Trump.
- Donald Trump has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release "pertinent" files from the Epstein investigation, with the Justice Department prepared to unseal grand jury transcripts.
- The report and the broader issue of the Justice Department and FBI’s Epstein file memorandum, as well as the possible release of more documents, have generated significant public and political debate, including skepticism from some conservative figures.
Podcaster asks JD Vance ‘what changed?’ over his Epstein files stance
Friday 18 July 2025 18:58 , Oliver O'ConnellTheo Von, the star podcaster recommended to Donald Trump by son Barron during the election campaign, has pressed Vice President JD Vance over the Epstein Files.
Von reshared an X post Wednesday that included footage of an October 2024 interview between him and Vance, and then asked, “Yeah what changed?”
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Barron Trump-endorsed podcaster asks Vance ‘what changed?’ over Epstein files stance
How did the White House try and explain Trump's 'hoax' comments?
Friday 18 July 2025 18:49 , Oliver O'ConnellThe White House is struggling to explain President Donald Trump’s insistence that the bipartisan clamor for release of case files from the prosecution of multimillionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein is part of a “hoax” generated by his political foes.
The pushback continued in the White House briefing room Thursday as even some of the president’s most fervent supporters continue to press for more transparency around the notorious case.
Andrew Feinberg filed this report from the White House.
White House claims Epstein case is ‘hoax’ because Democrats are talking about it
FBI told to 'flag' mentions of Trump in Epstein files, Democrat claims in letter to Bondi
Friday 18 July 2025 18:35 , Oliver O'ConnellSenate Judiciary Democrats, led by ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin, are demanding answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the review of files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a four-page letter to Bondi, Durbin specifically wants to know about how 1,000 FBI personnel were put on 24-hour shifts to review records relating to the case in March “in order to produce more documents that could then be released on an arbitrarily short deadline.”
These personnel, according to Durbin’s office, were instructed to “flag” any records that mentioned President Donald Trump.
Continuing, Durbin says that despite tens of thousands of personnel hours working on the documents, it then took “more than three additional months to officially find there is ‘no incriminating client list.’”
Durbin also says that while the FBI/DOJ memo of July 7 does not contradict any previous investigations into the death of Epstein, the release of likely modified surveillance footage has needlessly increased public skepticism of the government’s transparency in this matter.
The senator then lists 13 questions, with supplemental points, that he wants answered, including why personnel were told to flag Trump records, which political appointee and official were involved in the decision to do so, and what happened to the records once they were flagged.
Read the full letter here:
Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino have made a mess of the Epstein files.
— Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryDems) July 18, 2025
It’s time to clear it up once and for all for the American people. pic.twitter.com/WQw13gmf1F
ANALYSIS: Laura Loomer’s witch hunt just made Trump’s Epstein problems even worse
Friday 18 July 2025 18:22 , Oliver O'ConnellJohn Bowden writes:
Laura Loomer re-entered the Trump White House’s periphery this week at precisely the worst possible moment for a president trying to stop a firestorm from spreading.
As Donald Trump continues battling the blaze of controversy surrounding his administration’s reversal on the issue of releasing a list of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, the so-called “Epstein Client List,” Loomer’s own contribution to the mess may end up letting what little air is left out of the president’s tires.
Read on...
Laura Loomer’s witch hunt just made Trump’s Epstein problems even worse
ICYMI: ‘Bawdy’ birthday card that Trump reportedly sent to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
Friday 18 July 2025 18:04 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump reportedly helped celebrate Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday with a bawdy greeting accompanied by a hand-drawn image of a naked woman.
Here’s Rhian Lubin and Alex Woodward’s report from last night:
Reported birthday card from Trump to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
Trump takes victory lap over CBS axing Colbert and calls out ‘moron’ Fallon, too
Friday 18 July 2025 17:48 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump has weighed in on CBS axing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert while taking aim at several other late night hosts.
It was announced yesterday that CBS will bring The Late Show to an end in May. The network described the cancellation of the 33-year-old late-night talk show as a “financial decision”.
However, multiple CBS staffers have told The Independent they believe it to be a continuation of the “Trump shakedown” that began with parent company Paramount’s settlement of the 60 Minutes lawsuit.
Kevin E G Perry reports from Los Angeles.
‘I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next’: Trump takes victory lap over CBS axing Stephen Colbert
COMMENT: How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Friday 18 July 2025 17:30 , Oliver O'ConnellJon Sopel writes:
Who owns Maga? I mean, not literally, of course. Maga is an idea rather than a thing. It is not a shop or a book. There are no bricks and mortar – although if I could have had 10 per cent from every red Make America Great Again cap sold, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this article.
The reason I pose the question is that when there was a rumbling disquiet over sending bombers to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, the president swatted his Trumpland critics who said this wasn’t true to the core principles of Maga and America First.
He more or less said, “I invented Maga, so Maga is what I say it is.” It worked. His detractors huffed and puffed a bit, but then they went quiet. The Maga coalition fell into line behind their hero.
But over Jeffrey Epstein – the disgraced millionaire and paedophile who died in custody awaiting trial – it’s all rather different.
Read on...
How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Democrats demand answers from Fox News on edits to Trump’s Epstein comments
Friday 18 July 2025 17:15 , Oliver O'ConnellThe ranking Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the top executives at Fox News demanding answers about the right-wing network’s editing of a 2024 interview with Donald Trump, claiming it misled the public about the then-candidate’s stance on releasing documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Justin Baragona has the story.
House Democrats demand answers from Fox News on edits to Trump’s Epstein comments
Alcatraz will reopen the ‘same day Trump releases the Epstein files,’ says Newsom
Friday 18 July 2025 17:00 , Oliver O'ConnellGavin Newsom has called the Trump administration’s bluff, joking that the notorious Alcatraz prison in northern California will reopen the same day that the so-called “Epstein files” are released.
A spokesperson dismissed the idea previously touted by the president, following a visit to the island by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and embattled U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Newsom says Alcatraz will reopen the ‘same day Trump releases the Epstein files’
EXCLUSIVE: CBS staff in turmoil over ‘Trump shakedown’
Friday 18 July 2025 16:45 , Oliver O'ConnellCBS staffers aren’t buying the network’s claims that the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s top-rated, late-night show was purely a “financial decision,” but rather a continuation of the “Trump shakedown” that began with parent company Paramount’s settlement of the 60 Minutes lawsuit, according to multiple sources who spoke to The Independent.
Here’s Justin Baragona:
CBS staff in turmoil over ‘Trump shakedown’ after Stephen Colbert is canceled
Conservative activist calls on Trump to sue her employer 'into oblivion'
Friday 18 July 2025 16:30 , Oliver O'ConnellRiley Gaines, the conservative anti-trans women in women’s sports activist, has urged President Donald Trump to sue The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, “into oblivion” following last night’s exclusive report on the latest in the Jeffrey Epstein saga.
That might not seem surprising, except Gaines works for Outkick, a sports publication owned by Fox Corporation, which is owned by... Rupert Murdoch.
Awkward.
Riley Gaines, who works for Murdoch-owned website Outkick, urging Trump to sue Murdoch “into oblivion” https://t.co/HO8w9GOrYg
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) July 18, 2025
Vance slams Wall Street Journal’s Epstein report — despite calling for more coverage on the financier in 2021
Friday 18 July 2025 16:15 , Oliver O'ConnellWhen he was a best-selling author with designs on running in Ohio’s upcoming Senate race four years ago, JD Vance was one of the multitudes of Republican figures who assailed the mainstream press for not giving enough attention to deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Now, as Vice President, Vance would prefer Epstein stay out of the headlines.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.
Former Palm Beach state attorney says 'not much' to be found in Epstein grand jury testimony and 'there is no client list'
Friday 18 July 2025 16:00 , Oliver O'ConnellFormer Palm Beach County state attorney Dave Aronberg appeared on CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish today to discuss President Donald Trump’s directive to Attorney General Pam Bondi to release grand jury testimony from the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Aronberg told guest anchor Jessica Dean that there’s likely “not much” to be found in the grand jury transcripts, and critics of the administration’s handling of the case are “not going to be placated:”
There’s not much — at least not in the grand jury transcripts that the public really doesn’t know. The grand jury met and ended up filing the charges against Jeffrey Epstein. He was indicted. And there are grand jury secrecy rules. So, there will be redactions even if they are released. And it’s a question of whether a judge will even allow them to be released.
Of course, if a judge rejects the request by the Trump administration to release the grand jury records, that’s a win for Trump, too, because then he can blame it all on liberal judges. Of course, he may have been the one who appointed the judge, but whatever. So, this is a move to try to placate the base, but they’re not going to be placated by this. They aren’t demanding the redacted grand jury records. They want the Epstein files, which are in the hands of the Department of Justice. And it doesn’t look like we’re going to get those.
He also asserted that “there is no client list” to be released — something that Trump’s base is demanding to see, thanks to years of conspiracy theories about its existence, sometimes pushed by people now in the administration.
It’s pretty clear there is no client list. The people closest to this. There is no client list. Jeffrey Epstein’s former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, says there is no client list, but there are files, documents, images that have not been turned over to the public, in part because of privacy rules. But the reason why this is not going away is that the Trump administration officials, namely, Dan Bongino, Kash Patel, the — Donald Trump’s son, they have all been perpetuating this myth. They’ve been using this lie as a way to help their own careers, and now, it’s biting them in the butt. I mean, this is what happens when you continue to feed the alligator. The alligator is always hungry, and eventually, it’s going to bite your face off.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins gets into heated debate with MAGA lawmaker over Epstein vs Biden's autopen
Friday 18 July 2025 15:45 , Oliver O'ConnellCNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins pushed back on Republican Senator Bernie Moreno’s assertion that she had not covered the Biden autopen scandal as in-depth as the Epstein Files scandal.
In a heated debate over the administration’s handling of the Epstein files debacle on Thursday’s episode of The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Moreno danced around criticisms related to the scandal.
Ariana Baio has the story.
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Kaitlan Collins tells MAGA senator to ‘walk and chew gum at the same time’
Full story: Trump’s ominous warning to Rupert Murdoch and ‘his pile of garbage’ WSJ
Friday 18 July 2025 15:30 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to sue right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch following The Wall Street Journal’s publication of his alleged birthday card to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
His threats to Murdoch — whose massive News Corp media titan also owns Fox News, among other titles — follow the newspaper’s publication of a 50th birthday greeting that the president reportedly sent Epstein in 2003, which was described as including a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to “secrets” both men shared.
Alex Woodward reports.
Trump’s warning to Rupert Murdoch and ‘his pile of garbage’ WSJ over Epstein report
Republicans scramble for response to demands for Epstein case transparency
Friday 18 July 2025 15:20 , Oliver O'ConnellThe final House vote early Friday approving President Donald Trump’s request to recover billions in congressionally approved spending came after hours of debate over how to respond to the administration’s handling of records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case.
Republicans ultimately adopted a resolution that acknowledges the backlash from the party’s base but has no legal weight.
With Trump now dismissing the entire Epstein story as a “hoax” spread partly by “stupid Republicans,” the House resolution shows that almost no one is moving on from Attorney General Pam Bondi’s promises to publicly release the case files.
The Independent’s Eric Garcia was at the Capitol in the early hours of this morning:
Trump-Epstein revelation rocks the House during PBS vote: ‘I don’t know anything’
Trump teases 'big signing' of GENIUS Act
Friday 18 July 2025 15:15 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump’s schedule today includes a 1:30 p.m. Swearing-in ceremony for his Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, Billy Long.
That is followed at 2:30 p.m by the signing ceremony for the GENIUS Act, a landmark piece of legislation passed by Congress to regulate stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the value of a stable asset like the US dollar.
The president has teased the event on Truth Social, writing:
Big signing at 2:30 in the White House. Congratulations to our GREAT REPUBLICANS for being able to accomplish so much, a record, in so short a period of time. All the Democrats do is complain and criticize, AND GET NOTHING DONE. They are a “Party of the Past!”
At 7 p.m. Trump will have dinner with Republican senators in the state dining room of the White House.
Here’s Mike Bedigan on Trump’s “crypto cabinet”:
One in five of Trump’s closet allies hold significant cryptocurrency assets
Bannon: 'We are finally on the offense'
Friday 18 July 2025 15:10 , Oliver O'ConnellCNN’s Alayna Treene has spoken with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who has been highly critical of the administration’s handling of the Epstein case.
Bannon says that the Wall Street Journal article and President Donald Trump’s response are a turning point.
“We are finally on offense,” Bannon said. “President Trump has had enough and is fighting back – against his real enemies.”
Just spoke with Steve Bannon, who has criticized the admin's handling of the Epstein case
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) July 18, 2025
He tells me the WSJ story & Trump's response is a turning point
"We are finally on offense," Bannon told me. "President Trump has had enough and is fighting back –against his real enemies"
Don Jr leaps to father's defense from 'journalisming'
Friday 18 July 2025 14:58 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump Jr has jumped to his father’s defense following the Wall Street Journal’s report last night on the 2003 birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein, saying “I’ve never seen him doodle once.”
Don Jr wrote on X: “My father has a very specific way of speaking. People all over the world have mimicked it for decades. The insanity written in the Wall Street Journal, AIN’T IT and everyone knows it. Also in 47 years I’ve never seen him doodle once. Give me a break with the fake ‘journalisming’”
My father has a very specific way of speaking. People all over the world have mimicked it for decades. The insanity written in the Wall Street Journal, AIN’T IT and everyone knows it. Also in 47 years I’ve never seen him doodle once. Give me a break with the fake “journalisming’ https://t.co/bJ8oFWdTBZ
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 18, 2025
The president’s eldest son was responding to a post by Sean Davis, CEO of The Federalist, who asked X’s AI bot Grok to search for any occasion in which Trump has used the word “enigma.” While Grok failed to find any instances, a community note from other users linked to footage of him using the word in 2015.
Trump: “Carson’s an enigma to me”
— This You? (@Thiss_Youu) July 18, 2025
- Fort Dodge, Iowa (Nov 12, 2015) https://t.co/BLolNoycqm pic.twitter.com/BQ039MKOsE
In addition, here’s James Liddell with all the times on record that Trump has doodled:
Trump claims he never ‘wrote a picture.’ His sketchy Epstein lie has now been exposed
The Art of the Doodle: Trump's long history of ‘writing pictures’
Friday 18 July 2025 14:42 , James LiddellWhen accusations from the Wall Street Journal began to swirl that Donald Trump had sketched a picture of a naked woman in Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday card, the president immediately pushed back.
“I never wrote a picture in my life,” he said in an awkwardly phrased rebuttal to the newspaper, vehemently denying having anything to do with the card.
In a Truth Social tirade late Thursday, the president continued to highlight his artistic ineptitude, stating, “I don’t draw pictures.”
It turns out the president has been known to doodle, with at least five sketches from the late 1990s and early 2000s having been sold at auction.
Read the full report:
Trump claims he never ‘wrote a picture.’ His sketchy Epstein lie has now been exposed
Trump lashes out at Murdoch and Colbert
Friday 18 July 2025 14:28 , Oliver O'ConnellA punchy-sounding Donald Trump is looking forward to his lawsuit against media tycoon (and former friend?) Rupert Murdoch and his flagship U.S. newspaperThe Wall Street Journal, after last night’s bombshell story regarding the president’s friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump wrote on Truth Social:
I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his “pile of garbage” newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!
The president also reveled in the news that CBS has canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, its flagship late-night talk show, helmed by Trump critic Colbert.
Trump further wrote on his social media platform:
I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.
'Nice try Bondi': Congressman slams AG over Epstein grand jury push
Friday 18 July 2025 14:11 , James LiddellDonald Trump announced Thursday that he had authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the public release of grand jury testimony from the prosecution of disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On X, Bondi said she plans to file the request in federal court on Friday.
However, New York Representative Daniel Goldman pointed out a possible discrepancy in the plan, claiming the grand jury testimony “will only relate to Epstein and Maxwell.”
“What about videos, photographs and other recordings?” he said, retweeting Bondi’s X post. “What about FBI 302’s (witness interviews)? What about texts and emails? That’s where the evidence about Trump and others will be.”
ICYMI: Trump asks AG to 'produce' more Epstein files
Friday 18 July 2025 13:47 , James LiddellPresident Donald Trump says he’s asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to release certain Jeffrey Epstein files and relevant grand jury testimony: “subject to court approval.”
The president’s directive follows weeks of uproar surrounding the handling of the so-called Epstein files and after Trump announced his plans to sue the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a bombshell report detailing a bawdy birthday card Trump allegedly gave to Jeffrey Epstein.
A schism in MAGA world broke open after the Justice Department said there was no evidence to support the existence of a “client list” of associates some claim Epstein blackmailed over their alleged involvement in his trafficking scheme.
Kelly Rissman has more:
Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein: ‘Subject to court approval’
Trump says there's no 'smoking gun' linking him to Epstein
Friday 18 July 2025 13:24 , James LiddellDonald Trump continued to distance himself from the Jeffrey Epstein files on Friday morning, claiming that there’s no “smoking gun” that might link him to anything nefarious concerning the disgraced financier.
“If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the “files” for four years, and had Garland and Comey in charge, use it?,” he said of Merrick Garland, the Attorney General under Biden and James Comey, the FBI director under Obama.
“BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!,” he concluded.
Musk criticizes House Republicans for blocking Epstein file release
Friday 18 July 2025 13:22 , James LiddellAs constituents apply pressure on the GOP to provide more transparency around the Epstein files, House Republicans voted down a Democratic amendment Thursday night.
Democratic lawmakers attempted to advance a bipartisan effort calling for the full release of documents related to the convicted sex offender’s case.
Early Friday morning, Musk admitted on X that it would be “hard to accept a clean bill not going to a vote.”
In full: Trump blasts WSJ, Murdoch in late night Truth social tirade
Friday 18 July 2025 12:56 , James Liddell
Republicans play coy about Trump-Epstein news
Friday 18 July 2025 12:31 , James LiddellThe story from The Wall Street Journal that President Donald Trump reportedly sent a birthday card with a picture of a naked woman to Jeffrey Epstein rocked the House of Representatives late on Thursday evening.
The House had gone into overdrive to pass a bill that would claw back appropriated money for foreign aid and public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, that the president demanded from Congress.
But the news that Trump had reportedly sent the card to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender created another headache for Republicans, many of whom have pushed for the declassification of files related to Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls.
Washington Bureau Chief Eric Garcia has the story:
Republicans play coy about Trump-Epstein news: ‘I don’t know anything about it’
Just in: After WSJ feud, Trump targets Powell in early morning post
Friday 18 July 2025 12:06 , James LiddellAfter blasting the Wall Street Journal Thursday evening over a report on a lewd birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump shifted focus back to Federal Reserve Board of Governors Chair Jerome Powell, accusing the central bank of “choking out the housing market.”
“‘Too Late,’ and the Fed, are choking out the housing market with their high rate, making it difficult for people, especially the young, to buy a house,” he said.
Trump, who hired Powell in 2018 and has considered firing him over his failure to cut interest rates, called the central bank boss “truly one of my worst appointments.”
“The USA is Rockin’, there is VERY LOW INFLATION, and we deserve to be at 1%, saving One Trillion Dollars a year on Interest Costs,” he continued. “I can’t tell you how dumb Too Late is - So bad for our Country!”
The Epstein List: Who is on it?
Friday 18 July 2025 11:49 , James LiddellAfter years of peddling conspiracy theories about the Jeffrey Epstein files, President Donald Trump is now attempting to shift focus away from the case and his relationship with the convicted sex offender.
The Trump administration continues to face backlash after a Department of Justice and FBI memo released last week stated that there was no evidence that the disgraced financier, who socialised with royalty and celebrities and was accused of running a large network of underage girls for sex, had a “client list.”
Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal dockets, public disclosures, and Freedom of Information Act requests.
While judges, court staff, and legal representatives are excluded, here are some of the names that do appear in the legal records connected to Epstein:
The Epstein List: Full list of names revealed in unsealed court records
Elon Musk leaps to Donald Trump’s defense after WSJ piece
Friday 18 July 2025 11:25 , James LiddellElon Musk rushed to Donald Trump’s defense after a damning Wall Street Journal report detailed a lewd birthday letter the president allegedly presented to Jeffrey Epstein.
The tech billionaire has repeatedly demanded the release of the unredacted documents related to the disgraced financier’s sex-trafficking case since dropping the “really big bomb” last month, a baseless claim that Trump was withholding the files because they implicated him.
After the Journal described on Thursday a birthday card that appeared to be signed by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday, Musk abruptly shifted gears, coming to the former president’s defense.
James Liddell has the details:
Elon Musk leaps to Donald Trump’s defense following WSJ ‘hit piece’
Only a quarter of Americans say Trump’s policies have helped them: poll
Friday 18 July 2025 11:00 , Kelly RissmanOnly about a quarter of Americans believe President Donald Trump’s policies have helped them, according to a new poll.
A majority of Americans believe Trump has fallen short on key issues such as the economy and immigration. These are issues he campaigned on and led former Vice President Kamala Harris on in polls during the 2024 election cycle.
Rachel Dobkin has the story.
Only a quarter of Americans say Trump’s policies have helped them, new poll finds
White House stonewalls when pressed to explain Trump’s Unabomber story
Friday 18 July 2025 10:00 , Kelly RissmanThe White House stonewalled Thursday when pressed for an explanation as to why President Donald Trump told a group of business leaders an implausible tale about his late uncle, a noted MIT professor, once teaching Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski.
The Independent asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the president’s bizarre anecdote during a routine press briefing, two days after Trump insisted that Kaczynski, who earned a bachelor's degree at Harvard and a master’s and a PhD at the University of Michigan before going on his deadly terror spree, had been a student of his famous uncle.
Leavitt attempted to deflect by claiming surprise that The Independent would be interested in the matter despite having received a query about the president’s claims by email within minutes of him making the remarks in question on Tuesday.
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
White House still refuses to explain Trump’s impossible Unabomber story
ICYMI: Trump says he’ll sue over report of his bawdy birthday card to Epstein
Friday 18 July 2025 09:00 , Kelly RissmanPresident Donald Trump has announced plans to sue the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a bombshell report detailing a bawdy birthday card Trump allegedly gave to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Journal described a card that appeared to be signed by Trump for the disgraced financier’s 50th birthday. Inside the outline of a sketch of a naked woman, typed text reportedly reads: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump denied having anything to do with the card. “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women,” he told the outlet. “It’s not my language. It’s not my words.”
Read the full story.
Trump says he’ll sue over report of his bawdy birthday card to Epstein
Trump sends embattled Pam Bondi to Alcatraz prison... in bid to reopen it
Friday 18 July 2025 08:00 , Oliver O'ConnellTwo senior Trump officials visited Alcatraz Thursday to announce plans to convert it back into a federal prison, which one Democrat called the president’s "stupidest initiative yet."
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been mired in controversy since the contentious release of the Epstein Files last week, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited the island in San Francisco Bay.
Erin Keller reports.
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Trump sends embattled Pam Bondi to Alcatraz prison in re-opening bid
COMMENT: How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Friday 18 July 2025 07:00 , Oliver O'ConnellJon Sopel writes:
Who owns Maga? I mean, not literally, of course. Maga is an idea rather than a thing. It is not a shop or a book. There are no bricks and mortar – although if I could have had 10 per cent from every red Make America Great Again cap sold, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this article.
The reason I pose the question is that when there was a rumbling disquiet over sending bombers to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, the president swatted his Trumpland critics who said this wasn’t true to the core principles of Maga and America First.
He more or less said, “I invented Maga, so Maga is what I say it is.” It worked. His detractors huffed and puffed a bit, but then they went quiet. The Maga coalition fell into line behind their hero.
But over Jeffrey Epstein – the disgraced millionaire and paedophile who died in custody awaiting trial – it’s all rather different.
Read on...
How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
How the Epstein Files saga unfolded during Trump's second term
Friday 18 July 2025 06:00 , Oliver O'ConnellJeffrey Epstein may have been dead for six years, but the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence supporting federal charges of child sex trafficking continue to make headlines.
Most recently, they have caused a schism in MAGA world, reigniting anger from some supporters of President Donald Trump over his campaign promise to release the FBI files on the Epstein case, which the Department of Justice now says will not happen.
At the heart of the anger is the supposed existence of a “client list” of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent associates, whom some claim that Epstein blackmailed over their alleged involvement in his trafficking ring.
Conspiracy theorists have long demanded its release, but now the Trump administration says there is no evidence it exists, despite Attorney General Pam Bondi having said in February that it was on her desk. Bondi now says she was referring to the overall case file.
The attorney general also said officials at the Justice Department were examining a “truckload” of evidence that had previously not been made public.
However, the department concluded that public disclosure would not be appropriate, and much of the material was sealed by a judge. This has added fuel to rampant speculation that Trump is on the alleged list, despite its apparent nonexistence.
This caused a storm among right-wing influencers, including commentator Tucker Carlson, activist Laura Loomer, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who are outraged over this lack of transparency.
Here’s what you need to know about the case and why MAGA is up in arms.
The Epstein Files: How the saga unfolded within Trump’s administration
Congressman threatens to cancel House's WSJ subscription with new bill
Friday 18 July 2025 05:00 , Kelly RissmanFlorida Congressman Randy Fine announced he would be putting forward legislation to end the House’s subscription to the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a piece detailing an alleged birthday card Donald Trump gave Jeffrey Epstein.
The president has denied any involvement with the letter and announced plans to sue the publication on Thursday.
Fine wrote on X: “I’ll be introducing legislation to end the House of Representatives subscription contract with the WSJ. Americans shouldn’t be paying for disgusting and filthy rags. I have also directed my entire staff to delete their taxpayer-funded WSJ accounts.”
Poster of Trump with Epstein put up in London ahead of state visit
Rep. Ilhan Omar weighs in on why Trump and Bondi are open to making transcripts public
Friday 18 July 2025 04:42 , Kelly RissmanOn Thursday evening, Trump revealed he asked AG Pam Bondi to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.”
Bondi then posted that the DOJ is “ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar took to X to explain why she believes the Trump administration is specifically open to making public the testimony.
“Everyone should understand why they are now calling for unsealing the jury testimony because it will only relate to Epstein and Maxwell. The public wants all the information related to Epstein and they want full justice for the victims,” she wrote.
“Trump wanted this publicly, but privately knew it would be harmful to him and hoped the public would forget. There is more interest for this info now than ever.”
AOC slams JD Vance over WSJ Epstein story: 'Release the unedited video and files'
Friday 18 July 2025 04:00 , Kelly RissmanNew York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez replied to Vice President JD Vance’s social media post questioning the Wall Street Journal’s story that detailed an alleged birthday card President Donald Trump gave Jeffrey Epstein.
Vance labelled the story as “bullshit.” He wrote: “Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?”
AOC blasted back: “Why are you fighting back against releasing what your administration and DOJ knows about Epstein?”
She continued: “Release the unedited video and the files. Bring it to light. That should clear everything up.”
Following the bombshell report on Thursday, Trump asked AG Pam Bondi to release ‘pertinent’ files.
White House press sec calls Trump's reported birthday letter to Epstein 'fake'
Friday 18 July 2025 03:37 , Rachel DobkinWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called a report claiming President Donald Trump gave the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a bawdy birthday letter “a hatchet job” and said the message was “fake.”
“The Wall Street Journal published a hatchet job article with a FAKE ‘birthday letter’ that is supposedly from 2003,” Leavitt wrote on X Thursday night. “The WSJ refused to show us the letter and conceded they don’t even have it in their possession when we asked them to verify the alleged document they’re basing their ENTIRE fake story on.”
Leavitt continued: “As I said at the podium today, there is a coordinated Hoax by the Democrats and Fake News to smear President Trump — as we’ve seen throughout both of his terms.”
The Wall Street Journal published a hatchet job article with a FAKE “birthday letter” that is supposedly from 2003.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 18, 2025
This is like the Steele Dossier that kickstarted “the Russia, Russia, Russia” Hoax all over again.
The WSJ refused to show us the letter and conceded they don’t…
Trump has also called the letter “fake” and said he will be suing the WSJ.
JD Vance calls report claiming Trump gave bawdy birthday card to Epstein 'complete and utter bulls***'
Friday 18 July 2025 03:36 , Rachel DobkinVice President JD Vance called a Wall Street Journal report claiming President Donald Trump gave a bawdy birthday card to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 “complete and utter bulls***.”
“Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bulls***. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it. Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?” Vance wrote on X Thursday night.
Trump has called the card “fake” and said he will be suing the WSJ.
Democrats scrutinize Trump's message about releasing certain Epstein files
Friday 18 July 2025 03:24 , Rachel DobkinDemocratic lawmakers have scrutinized President Donald Trump’s message about releasing certain files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday night.
But Dems are concerned about what type of material will actually be released, if the court agrees to Bondi’s request.
“Nice try @AGPamBondi. What about videos, photographs and other recordings? What about FBI 302’s (witness interviews)? What about texts and emails?” Representative Daniel Goldman, a New York Democrat, wrote on X.
He added: “That’s where the evidence about Trump and others will be. Grand jury testimony will only relate to Epstein and [Epstein’s associate Ghislaine] Maxwell.”
Nice try @AGPamBondi.
— Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) July 18, 2025
What about videos, photographs and other recordings?
What about FBI 302’s (witness interviews)?
What about texts and emails?
That’s where the evidence about Trump and others will be.
Grand jury testimony will only relate to Epstein and Maxwell. https://t.co/CaeTjkhHkA
Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, wrote on X: “YOU were promised ALL of the EPSTEIN FILES. Clearly implicated in the files, Trump is telling the AG to release ‘pertinent’ files from the ‘Grand Jury.’
What does this bulls*** mean? Trump/Bondi will bury the files and will pick and choose what doesn’t hurt Trump.”
Trump, who had socialized with Epstein decades ago when he was just a New York real estate mogul, has been accused of being in unreleased files related to the wealthy financier.
But there is no evidence of this, and on Tuesday, when asked if his name appeared in any documents, Trump said, “No.”
Full story: Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein: ‘Subject to court approval’
Friday 18 July 2025 03:04 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump says he’s asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to release certain Jeffrey Epstein files and relevant grand jury testimony: “subject to court approval.”
The president’s directive follows weeks of uproar surrounding the handling of the so-called Epstein files and after Trump announced his plans to sue the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a bombshell report detailing a bawdy birthday card Trump allegedly gave to Jeffrey Epstein.
A schism in MAGA world broke open after the Justice Department said there was no evidence to support the existence of a “client list” of associates some claim Epstein blackmailed over their alleged involvement in his trafficking scheme.
Now, several prominent Republicans, including Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence, have joined conservative influencers in calling for increased transparency around the case.
Kelly Rissman has the full story:
Trump asks Pam Bondi to release certain files on Epstein: ‘Subject to court approval’
Which Republicans are still defending Trump and Bondi over Epstein?
Friday 18 July 2025 03:00 , Oliver O'ConnellAlex Woodward writes:
Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and death in prison have been central to the years-long, overlapping conspiracy theories that have put the world’s most powerful people at the center of an alleged criminal network of traffickers and child predators.
Epstein’s case and the conspiracy theories surrounding it were welcomed by Donald Trump’s campaign, with supporters and prominent right-wing media figures demanding the president expose the alleged cabal fueling Epstein’s criminal enterprise.
But now the president dismisses Epstein’s case as a “hoax,” a “scam,” and “bull****,” and even asked a room of reporters why anyone is “still talking” about a sex offender “nobody cares about.”
His dismissive statements — and statements from Department of Justice and FBI officials affirming Epstein died by suicide and that no such “client list” exists — have triggered a civil war among the president’s supporters and a constellation of right-wing figures wondering whether Trump has something to hide.
Continue reading...
How Trump’s allies are shrinking support over his handling of ‘hoax’ Epstein files
Trump admin to push release of certain Epstein files
Friday 18 July 2025 02:48 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday night Attorney General Pam Bondi will push to release certain files related to the federal investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!” Trump said.
The move comes after Trump faced backlash from his base following a Justice Department and FBI memo stating there was no client list of powerful people who may have partaken in Epstein’s crimes.
Pam Bondi says she's 'ready' to push the court to unseal certain Epstein files
Friday 18 July 2025 02:36 , Rachel DobkinAttorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X Thursday night, “We are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts” about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi was responding to a Truth Social post from Trump that read: “Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!”
Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to the sexual abuse of dozens of minor girls.
Full story: White House claims Epstein case is ‘hoax’ because Democrats are talking about it
Friday 18 July 2025 02:30 , Oliver O'ConnellAndrew Feinberg reports from the White House:
The White House is struggling to explain President Donald Trump’s insistence that the bipartisan clamor for release of case files from the prosecution of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein is part of a “hoax” generated by his political adversaries as some of the president’s most fervent supporters continue to press for more transparency around the notorious case.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday faced pointed questions from reporters on why Trump continues to lash out and insist there’s nothing to see regarding the prosecution of the famous sex trafficker, with whom he maintained a friendship for years.
Continue reading...
White House claims Epstein case is ‘hoax’ because Democrats are talking about it
COMMENT: How Jeffrey Epstein could finish Trump from beyond the grave
Friday 18 July 2025 02:00 , Oliver O'ConnellJon Sopel writes:
Who owns Maga? I mean, not literally, of course. Maga is an idea rather than a thing. It is not a shop or a book. There are no bricks and mortar – although if I could have had 10 per cent from every red Make America Great Again cap sold, I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this article.
The reason I pose the question is that when there was a rumbling disquiet over sending bombers to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, the president swatted his Trumpland critics who said this wasn’t true to the core principles of Maga and America First.
He more or less said, “I invented Maga, so Maga is what I say it is.” It worked. His detractors huffed and puffed a bit, but then they went quiet. The Maga coalition fell into line behind their hero.
But over Jeffrey Epstein – the disgraced millionaire and paedophile who died in custody awaiting trial – it’s all rather different.
Continue reading…
White House fields Epstein questions after Trump lashes out at ‘hoax’ theories: Live
Trump announces plans to sue the Wall Street Journal
Friday 18 July 2025 01:57 , Kelly RissmanPresident Donald Trump announced plans to sue the Wall Street Journal after the paper published a bombshell report detailing an alleged bawdy birthday card Trump gave to Jeffrey Epstein.
Read the full story.
Newsom points out previous doodle by Trump, who claimed he 'never wrote a picture in my life'
Friday 18 July 2025 01:39 , Kelly RissmanCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom used President Donald Trump’s own words against him.
Trump denied drawing a naked woman as part of a birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein: “I never wrote a picture in my life.”
In a social media post, Newsom quoted the president and attached a screenshot of a 2019 Washington Post article about a doodle of the Manhattan skyline that Trump sketched in 2004.
‘Dumber than bricks’: Benny Johnson brutally mocked for completely misunderstanding Shane Gillis’ ESPY jokes
Friday 18 July 2025 01:30 , Oliver O'ConnellBenny Johnson is finding himself on the receiving end of a flood of mockery after cheering on Shane Gillis’ edgy ESPY monologue and claiming the comic called the January 6 Capitol attack “staged,” prompting critics to ridicule the MAGA podcaster for obviously misunderstanding Gillis’ joke.
“Dumber than bricks,” Consequence publisher Alex Young tweeted about the serial plagiarist.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Benny Johnson brutally mocked for completely misunderstanding Shane Gillis’ jokes
How the saga unfolded within Trump’s administration
Friday 18 July 2025 01:25 , Kelly RissmanJeffrey Epstein may have been dead for six years, but the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence supporting federal charges of child sex trafficking continue to make headlines.
Most recently, they have caused a schism in MAGA world, reigniting anger from some supporters of President Donald Trump over his campaign promise to release the FBI files on the Epstein case, which the Department of Justice now says will not happen.
Oliver O’Connell details the full timeline of the Epstein files saga.
The Epstein Files: How the saga unfolded within Trump’s administration
Prominent conservative voices say they don't buy the Trump birthday letter
Friday 18 July 2025 01:15 , Kelly RissmanConservative activists and commentators almost immediately dismissed the Wall Street Journal’s report claiming Trump wrote a bawdy birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein to celebrate his 50th.
The president has denied having anything to do with the card.
“This is not how Trump talks at all. I don’t believe it,” Charlie Kirk wrote on X.
Right-wing internet personality Mike Cernovich slammed: “This is so obviously bullshit. But Trump didn’t want to listen to me, now he’s lost all credibility. He was fucked over badly. I did my best. Those of who you told us to shut up fucked over MAGA big time.”
Laura Loomer similarly bashed the report.
“It’s totally fake. Everyone who actually KNOWS President Trump knows he doesn’t type letters. He writes notes in big black Sharpie. Trust me, I would know. He doesn’t use email and he doesn’t type write. He writes messages in big black Sharpie,” she wrote.
The Journal said the depiction of the naked woman appeared to be “hand-drawn with a heavy marker.” Inside the drawing was typed text, according to the outlet, including the message: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Barron Trump-endorsed podcaster asks JD Vance ‘what changed?’ over his Epstein files stance
Friday 18 July 2025 01:00 , Oliver O'ConnellTheo Von, the star podcaster recommended to Donald Trump by son Barron during the election campaign, has pressed Vice President JD Vance over the Epstein Files.
Von reshared an X post Wednesday that included footage of an October 2024 interview between him and Vance.
In that clip, Von quipped that officials need to “release the list” when Vance told him that many politicians have vices “worse than alcoholism.” Vance replied that the U.S. “seriously” needs to “release the Epstein list.”
On X this week, the original poster wrote: “Hey JD, what changed?”
The podcaster replied: “Yeah, what changed?”
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Barron Trump-endorsed podcaster asks Vance ‘what changed?’ over Epstein files stance
JD Vance calls the Epstein report 'complete and utter bulls***'
Friday 18 July 2025 00:59 , Kelly RissmanVice President JD Vance weighed in on the Wall Street Journal’s explosive story that shed light on the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump.
“Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit,” the wrote on X on Thursday evening.
“The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it. Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?”
Some prominent figures don't seem impressed with Trump's alleged birthday card to Epstein
Friday 18 July 2025 00:49 , Kelly RissmanAfter the Journal published an explosive piece alleging Donald Trump wrote a bawdy birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday, some prominent voices sounded underwhelmed by the news.
Trump denied he had anything to do with the letter and even threatened a lawsuit against the paper if they were to publish the story.
Political commentator Megyn Kelly remarked in a social media post: “This is the dumbest attempted hit piece I’ve ever read.”
Elon Musk, formerly known as Trump’s ‘first buddy,’ wrote on X: “Yeah, the letter sounds bogus.”
Trump threatened legal action if birthday card piece was published, report claims
Friday 18 July 2025 00:30 , Kelly RissmanThe Wall Street Journal published a piece on Thursday claiming that the president gave a bawdy birthday card — complete with his name written in a squiggly font to resemble the pubic hair inside the drawing of a nude woman.
“Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the letter said, according to the report.
Trump vehemently denied that he had anything to do with the letter — even threatening legal action if the story were to be published.
“I’m gonna sue The Wall Street Journal just like I sued everyone else,” he told the outlet.
Will Trump lose the ‘bros’ that helped him win election over Epstein fallout?
Friday 18 July 2025 00:30 , Oliver O'ConnellAs the fallout continues over the Department of Justice’s decision not to release the Epstein Files, with the MAGA base appearing to fracture over the issue, President Donald Trump could lose the support of a key component of the coalition that put him in power, pundits warned.
The “Manosphere,” typically identified as Joe Rogan and a group of fellow podcasters, is not pleased with the administration's handling of the Epstein case, wondering what happened to the conspiracy theories propagated by Trump and others now in his administration.
Read on...
Could Trump lose the ‘bros’ that helped him win election over Epstein Files fallout?
Reported birthday card from Trump to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
Friday 18 July 2025 00:21 , Kelly RissmanDonald Trump reportedly helped celebrate Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday with a bawdy greeting accompanied by a hand-drawn image of a naked woman.
A report from The Wall Street Journal on Thursday uncovers new details about the relationship between the president and disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.
A letter bearing Trump’s name, which was reviewed by The Journal, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by a drawing of a naked woman. His signature is a squiggly “Donald” below her waist, mimicking pubic hair, according to the report.
In an interview with The Journal, Trump denied writing the letter or drawing the picture: “This is not me. This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story.”
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Reported birthday card from Trump to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
Could Trump’s Epstein flub ‘consume his presidency’?
Friday 18 July 2025 00:00 , Oliver O'ConnellFar-right activist Laura Loomer has warned that Donald Trump’s handling of the so-called “Epstein files” threatens to “consume his presidency,” in a stark departure from her usually unshakable support for the president.
“Obviously, this is not a complete hoax given the fact that Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in prison in Florida for her crimes and activities with Jeffrey Epstein, who we know is a convicted sexual predator,” Loomer told POLITICO Wednesday.
“This is why I said, and I’ll reiterate it again, the best thing that the president can do is appoint a special counsel to handle the Epstein files investigation.”
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Laura Loomer warns Trump’s Epstein flub could ‘consume his presidency’
RECAP: Conspiracy theories collide with reality
Thursday 17 July 2025 23:30 , Oliver O'ConnellKash Patel and Dan Bongino, now both at the FBI, and Pam Bondi, now leading the Justice Department, contradict their earlier statements. Having pushed the conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein, they have either come face to face with cold, hard facts or uncomfortable truths about the case.
The DOJ this month said Jeffrey Epstein did not maintain a “client list” of powerful men for whom he trafficked underage girls and said no more files would be released.
Patel and Bongino offered assurances that they’d reviewed the evidence and there was no reason to doubt Epstein killed himself.
“I believe he hung himself in a cell in the Metropolitan Detention Center,” Patel testified in a Senate hearing on May 8.
President Donald Trump himself has been the most aggressive.
In a lengthy post Wednesday on Truth Social, he lashed out at his “PAST supporters” who have believed in Epstein conspiracy theories, calling them “weaklings” and saying he doesn’t “want their support anymore!”
He also claimed, without offering evidence, that Democrats concocted the Epstein stories that have animated his base.
“Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,” Trump wrote.
In another lengthy post on Saturday, he vouched for Bondi and pressed his supporters to move on.
“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!” Trump wrote.
With reporting from the Associated Press
