Trump forced to compromise on Epstein files: What's at stake?

The scandal surrounding the notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is entering a new phase. In a memorandum last week, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI announced that the so-called Epstein files contained no evidence justifying further investigations. This sparked massive criticism among Donald Trump's right-wing MAGA supporters. Calls for the resignation of Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel were louder.

When the president subsequently called parts of his disappointed followers "weaklings," he himself came under fire. Finally, on Thursday, Trump bowed to pressure from his supporters and instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to at least arrange for the release of the "relevant" grand jury testimony in the case.

Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financial investor, was first charged with sex crimes in 2006 and sentenced to 13 months in prison. In July 2019, he was rearrested and accused of trafficking dozens of minors and engaging in sexual activity with them for money. According to prosecutors, he surrounded himself with loyal associates and accomplices to ensure a "constant supply of underage victims for abuse."

Conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death

Epstein pleaded not guilty. On August 10, 2019, he was found hanged in his New York jail cell. Authorities ruled it a suicide, although conspiracy theories immediately swirled around his death.

In another investigation, Epstein's longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell, who was also arrested in 2022 for assisting Epstein in abusing young girls, detailed Epstein's relationships with political and social figures, including Britain's Prince Andrew and former US President Bill Clinton. Both denied any wrongdoing.

Numerous US citizens, not only those within the MAGA movement, which is prone to conspiracy theories, believe that the authorities are covering up details of the case. The aim, they allege, is to protect wealthy and influential members of the elite.

Donald Trump also had contact with Epstein. "I've known Jeff for 15 years. A great guy," he told New York Magazine in 2002. "He's a lot of fun to be with. They even say he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them tend to be a bit younger. There's no doubt about it—Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

According to the New York Times, in 1992, Trump hosted a lavish party with NFL cheerleaders at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Photos show that Epstein was present. In 1997, the two attended an "Angels Party" hosted by lingerie manufacturer Victoria's Secret in New York. As the Wall Street Journal now reports, in 2003, Trump allegedly sent Epstein a birthday letter containing a sketch of a nude woman and a reference to shared secrets. Trump denies having written such a letter .

During those years, his name appeared seven times in Epstein's flight logs. Contact ended after the two fell out in 2004 in a power struggle over a foreclosed property in Palm Beach. Trump outbid Epstein at the auction. In 2019, the current president stated that they hadn't spoken in 15 years.

At the center of public interest is an alleged list of individuals involved in the sex crimes alongside Epstein. The Trump administration insists that such a list does not exist. Trump said during his campaign that he would "likely" release files on the case if re-elected. So far, in the view of many supporters, he hasn't delivered.

For the first time since taking office, the president seems powerless

The president was also hurt by a now-deleted X-post by his former advisor Elon Musk. Musk claimed in June that Trump was named "in the Epstein files." A series of documents were released in February that were intended to shed more light on the case. However, they contained little new information.

Trump is currently attempting a balancing act: On the one hand, he supports the release of "credible" documents, while at the same time calling the case "pretty boring stuff." But for the first time since taking office, the president appears powerless in the face of growing furor.

Now even close allies are demanding more transparency. House Republican Leader Mike Johnson has called on Attorney General Bondi to release all documents related to Epstein. Democrats are also demanding the complete disclosure of all evidence available to prosecutors in the case.

On Saturday, Trump announced he would file a multi-billion dollar lawsuit over a report linking him to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He is seeking at least $10 billion (around €8.6 billion) in damages from the Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The conservative newspaper had reported that Trump wrote a salacious letter to Epstein in 2003, including a drawing of a naked woman. The president called the article "false, malicious, and defamatory."