Former President Donald Trump has lashed out at the Democrats, accusing them of exploiting the Jeffrey Epstein case to divert attention from what he describes as their "massive failures," particularly the recent government shutdown in the United States.
In a series of posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump argued that his political opponents are attempting to resurrect the "Jeffrey Epstein hoax" to keep the public's focus off the budgetary crisis. He claimed that Democrats would "do anything" to prevent the American people from noticing their shortcomings.
"In other words, the Democrats are using the Jeffrey Epstein hoax to try and shift attention from their enormous failures, especially the latest one: THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN!" Trump asserted in his message.
Adding to his criticisms, Trump emphasized that "only a very bad or stupid Republican would fall for that trap," suggesting that the Democrats' actions have cost the country $1.5 trillion and describing their tactics as a dangerous game that threatens national stability.
Trump further insisted that there should be "no distractions towards Epstein or anything else" and urged any Republicans involved to focus "solely on reopening our country and fixing the enormous damage caused by the Democrats."
The former president's remarks came in response to the House Oversight Committee Democrats releasing previously unseen emails linked to Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose death and high-profile connections continue to draw scrutiny.
These emails, obtained via subpoena from Epstein's estate, include over a decade of correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell—his former associate convicted of sex trafficking—and author Michael Wolff, who is reportedly close to Trump's circle. Within these communications, Epstein mentions Trump by name on several occasions.
In one particular email dated April 2, 2011, independently reviewed by CNN, Epstein writes to Maxwell, "I want you to know that the dog that hasn't barked is Trump... (REDACTED) spent hours at my house with him, and has never been mentioned. Chief of police, etc. I am 75% convinced."
Maxwell's response: "I have been thinking about that..." Other emails suggest that Trump spent considerable time with a woman the Democrats describe as an Epstein trafficking victim, including a remark where Epstein claims Trump "knew about the girls," seemingly challenging the former president's public statement that he ousted the financier from his Mar-a-Lago club for recruiting young women there.
Republicans on the same committee identified this woman as Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent survivors in the Epstein case. In her book, she recounts how Trump was "extremely kind" to her while she worked at Mar-a-Lago, mentioning how he lent homes to friends with children needing care.
Republican lawmakers have accused Democrats of withholding her name because she hasn't alleged any misconduct by Trump. In her book Nobody’s Girl, Giuffre does not accuse Trump of any wrongdoing, as reported by CNN.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, stated that the emails "prove absolutely nothing except that President Trump did nothing wrong."
Trump himself neither sent nor received any of these emails, most of which predate his presidency, and he has not faced any charges related to Epstein or Maxwell.
Maxwell, meanwhile, testified this year to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that she "never saw the President in any inappropriate situation of any kind" and said she didn't recall ever seeing Trump at Epstein's home, although she did remember encountering him at social events.
Setting the stage for this conflict is Epstein's criminal history: in 2008, he was sentenced to 18 months for soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor for prostitution, but served only 13 months in a minimum-security jail under a plea deal that was later criticized as too lenient.
His 2019 death, officially ruled a suicide, reignited scrutiny of his connections with politicians, business leaders, and celebrities.
Now, as Democrats push to release more documents from Epstein's archive, Trump accuses them of reopening the case not for truth or accountability but to distract from the political fallout of the government shutdown and "many other issues" that he believes highlight Democratic mismanagement.
Key Questions About Trump, Epstein, and the Recent Emails
Why is Trump accusing Democrats of using the Epstein case to distract the public?
Trump claims that Democrats are reviving the Epstein controversy to divert attention from their failures, particularly the recent government shutdown, and to avoid scrutiny over budgetary issues.
What do the newly released Epstein emails reveal about Trump?
The emails mention Trump multiple times, suggesting he spent time with individuals linked to Epstein. However, Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the emails do not provide evidence of any illegal activity on his part.
How have Republicans responded to the release of the Epstein emails?
Republicans argue that Democrats are selectively releasing information to damage Trump's reputation, pointing out that one of the women mentioned, Virginia Giuffre, has not accused Trump of any misconduct.