President Donald Trump is facing harsh criticism from his own supporters after his administration refused to release Jeffrey Epstein’s files. The controversy has created unusual tension between Trump and his normally loyal base, with many MAGA influencers demanding transparency about the late convicted sex offender’s connections.
The Justice Department announced that it would not release any more documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Officials concluded there was no evidence of a ‘client list’ or that Epstein was murdered in prison, despite Trump’s administration previously claiming they had access to the list. This decision has sparked outrage among Trump supporters who expected the president to follow through on his campaign promises about government transparency.
Political commentator Adam Schiff posted on social media, asking, “What are you hiding, Donald? Time to release the Epstein files.” The post highlighted growing pressure on Trump from both supporters and critics to make the documents public. Trump responded with anger, calling some MAGA personalities ‘weaklings’ in a Truth Social outburst, even as his own statements seemed to confirm he appears in the files he claims don’t exist, and accusing Democrats of creating what he called the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”
Timing raises questions about DOJ firings
The controversy deepened when news broke that Maurene Comey was fired from the Justice Department. Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, had worked as a prosecutor on the federal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She was informed of her termination on Wednesday and had most recently worked on the prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Brian Krassenstein, a frequent Trump critic, pointed out the timing of these events in a social media post. He wrote that on the same day, Trump continued trying to hide the Epstein files, “Trump’s DOJ just fired Maurene Comey, who prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell and worked on the Federal Jeffrey Epstein Case.” Krassenstein asked, “What the hell are they hiding?”
What are you hiding, Donald? Time to release the Epstein files. pic.twitter.com/IuwBzXQth0
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) July 17, 2025
The firing of Comey has raised additional questions about the administration’s handling of cases related to Epstein. Critics suggest the timing is suspicious, coming just as pressure mounts for more transparency about the Epstein files. The Justice Department has not provided detailed reasons for Comey’s dismissal beyond routine personnel changes.
Trump’s approval ratings show the political cost of the controversy. A new CNN poll released Wednesday showed his approval rating at 42 percent, largely unchanged from spring. However, only 37 percent of those polled said Trump was focusing on the right issues, down 6 points from March. The Epstein controversy was not a top concern for voters in 2024, yet it continues to dominate headlines.
Despite the backlash from some supporters, Trump maintains strong support among Republicans at 88 percent, according to the CNN poll. However, even limited enthusiasm drops among his base could hurt Republicans in next year’s midterm elections. MAGA podcasters and media personalities continue to fuel the controversy, demanding answers about what they see as broken promises on government transparency.
The president’s response to the criticism has been characteristically combative. He dismissed concerns from his supporters and blamed Democrats for the controversy, despite the fact that Epstein was originally charged by Trump’s own Justice Department during his first term. This has created an unusual situation where Trump is fighting with his own base while trying to manage a scandal that threatens to overshadow other policy victories.
