Will controversial Epstein files be released? Has Trump buckled under Maga pressure?

US President Donald Trump seems rattled over Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump, who earlier called for his followers to ‘move on’ from the files related to the late, disgraced financier, has now called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release any ‘credible’ information.

This comes after much outrage from his base, which has previously been in lock step with Trump on all matters.

But what happened? Did Trump buckle under backlash from his Maga base?

Let’s take a closer look

A brief look at Epstein

Epstein was a powerful financier who is said to have had ties with many rich and influential figures including billionaires and members of the British Royal Family.

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Some have speculated that Epstein, with his shadowy history, was being propped up by one or more intelligence agencies.

They claim this was an operation to influence and blackmail the rich and powerful.

Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal trafficking charges.

He died in a US prison that year while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide.

His ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in prison.

She was convicted for helping him traffic girls and young women.

But many in the Maga movement have for years claimed that Epstein was murdered.

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They also allege a cover-up by the ‘deep state’ to protect the rich and powerful – ostensibly liberals and Democrats.

Interestingly, Trump supporters do not seem to acknowledge that Epstein died in prison during his first term.

Nor do they make mention of Trump’s own documented ties to Epstein and pictures with him.

“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump said in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”

Trump had himself fanned the flames of his supporters for years, hinting that there is a ‘cover-up’ and promising to release the files once he returned to office.

He added that “many people” believed the theory.

What happened?

In February, a number of far-right influencers were invited to the White House for a photo-op.

They were then given binders full of material about Epstein, most of which had already been made public.

Bondi earlier this year too made similar remarks saying there are “tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn”.

“It’s a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public,” Bondi added.

The Trump administration was seemingly sending a signal to its base –  justice is coming.

Those you hate will be in prison soon.

Then, last week, everything changed.

The US justice department released a memo saying that there is  no evidence that Epstein kept a client list.

The department, in concert with the FBI, also said no further charges would be pursued against anyone as part of the case.

The two-page unsigned memo said that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted”.

It added much of the material was under court seal to protect victims and that “only a fraction” of it “would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial”.

The Department of Justice also released hours of footage of Epstein’s cell.

The department claimed that this backed up its conclusion that Epstein killed himself in his cell.

Maga world went bonkers at this news.

High-profile and leading figures including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, ex-Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson and ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon and influencer Laura Loomer absolutely assailed the Trump administration.

Carlson accused Bondi of “covering up very serious crimes.”

Bannon used his podcast War Room to slam the Justice Department and called the entire process a “mismanaged disaster.”

Ex-Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who is also now a podcaster, called Bondi “either lazy or incompetent.”

Trump deflects first, then reluctantly gives in

Trump initially tried to deflect from the matter.

Asked about Epstein by a reporter during a Cabinet meeting over the weekend, Trump called it “unbelievable”.

He also claimed questions about such matters were an insult to the memory of those who died during the Texas floods.

Trump on Saturday continued to insist that there was nothing to see.

He also defended his attorney general.

“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 on social media.

Trump continued to insist that those who wanted the information out wanted to hurt the administration.

He also claimed that the Epstein files were a ‘Democratic hoax’ made up by former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and ex-FBI chief James Comey.

However, many in Maga world remained unconvinced and refused to let the matter go.

“I want to make this very clear to those on the right, including the president himself, who are telling us to just drop the subject and move on,” conservative commentator Matt Walsh added. “We can’t drop it. We can’t move on.”

“This is the worst response I’ve ever seen from President Trump,” said right-wing commentator Benny Johnson.

Mike Flynn, a high-profile figure in the far-right Q-Anon movement, wrote,  “@realdonaldtrump please understand the EPSTEIN AFFAIR IS NOT GOING AWAY.”

Walsh again called Trump’s remarks “extremely obtuse”.

“We don’t accept obvious bullshit from our political leaders”, Walsh added.

“We should put everything out there and let the people decide,” Johnson said. He said Bondi must “come forward and explain it to everybody”.

“I fully support transparency on this issue”, Greene added.

Trump finally seemed to give in on Tuesday, if only a little.

“She’s handled it very well, and it’s going to be up to her,” Trump said. He added that Bondi ought to release “whatever she thinks is credible” when it comes to Epstein.

“Credible information – let them give it,” Trump added. “I would say anything that’s credible, let them have it.”

Trump also denied his name appeared in the Epstein files.

Later on Tuesday, Trump called the details “sordid but boring”.

“Only really bad people, including the fake news, want to keep something like this going,” Trump added.

He reiterated his claim of being ‘a hoax’ by Democrats.

“These files were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden [administration] – and you know, we went through years of that with the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax,” he said.

Bondi on Tuesday refused to address the matter.

“Nothing about Epstein”, she said. “I’m not going to talk about Epstein”.

She added that the memo last week “speaks for itself”.

The Trump administration’s approach does not seem to be paying off with his supporters.

Trump’s approval rating has hit a record low in the latest Economist/YouGov poll.

Just 41 per cent of people approve the job he is doing, while 55 per cent disapprove.

Democrats pounce, experts doubtful of lasting damage

The Democrats, meanwhile, have gleefully pounced on the matter.

The Democrats tried to force the release of the Epstein files via vote, only to be blocked by the Republicans.

“The American people deserve to know the truth, the whole trust and nothing but the truth as it relates to this whole sordid Jeffrey Epstein matter,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday. “This was a conspiracy theory that Donald Trump, Pam Bondi and these MAGA extremists have been fanning the flames of for the last several years, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.”

But experts think this spat with his base is likely a mere bump in the road for Trump.

“Donald Trump has a very significant hold on the Republican Party, and I think anybody that thinks that this is the end of Donald Trump’s hold on the GOP is wrong,” Republican strategist Kristen Soltis Anderson told CNN.

Joseph Uscinski, a political science professor at the University of Miami who  specialising in the study of conspiracy theories, told The Guardian, “[Trump’s supporters] are disgruntled, they’re upset and they’re going to express that on social media. But they’re not going to abandon him, because he’s the only game in town for them”.

With inputs from agencies