Overall, President Donald Trump is still doing very well when it comes to polling, but the Epstein file fiasco has given him a hit he did not expect to take.
Trump is significantly underwater on this particular issue, and Dems are already pouncing.
One of the more surprising issues on this subject is that the GOP is more or less moving away from Trump on the controversy, demanding increased transparency.
I am not surprised at all that Trump is underwater on this, as I think most people do not realize how much the president's surrogates, including now-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, have been pushing this for years.
Quinnipiac recently conducted a poll on the handling of the Epstein files, and Trump received a 63% disapproval rating on how the administration is navigating the situation.
I think the worst aspect of this was when Trump said that he would have Attorney General Pam Bondi release the Epstein-related files that she deemed to be credible, rather than releasing all the files in full.
This is more or less what we have heard from other administrations, telling us what we need to see rather than showing us everything. Even MAGA supporters are calling this a swamp move, and that is just devastating for Trump.
Republicans in office have quickly realized where voters are standing on the issue, and they are running for cover, creating distance between themselves and Trump.
Even leadership is backing away, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) calling for more transparency.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is also looking for more transparency, stating, “At some point, there is going to have to be a resolution."
Thune continued, “We’re all interested in making sure that justice is served and that there is full disclosure and there’s transparency around this.”
Democrats ran from the Epstein files when Biden was in office, but now, given the decision the Trump administration has made, Democrats smell blood in the water.
After having previously brushed off the Epstein files, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is now calling for the files to be released, stating, “For reasons known only to him, Donald Trump is now refusing to appoint a special prosecutor in the Epstein case after weeks of refusing to release the Epstein files."
She went on, “This week, House Democrats voted unanimously to release the files. Republicans voted to keep them hidden. With deep respect for the victims, their trauma and their privacy, everyone on the Epstein list must be held accountable no matter who they are. Release the files.”
I am just not sure where Trump can go to save this at this point without fully revealing the files, as the approach the administration has taken makes it sound like it is covering something up. I don’t think it will be the end of the administration, but if they don’t get this fixed soon, I firmly believe that it will cost Trump some of his MAGA support.
