A senior aide to Donald Trump has delivered a stunning blow to the special relationship, declaring that the United Kingdom is 'not a friend' to the President or the United States. The remarks from 'Border Czar' Tom Homan come as Trump himself retreats into 'bunker mode', grappling with the political firestorm ignited by the release of tens of thousands of Jeffrey Epstein's emails.
A Fractured Friendship and a President in Hiding
The extraordinary comments from Tom Homan were made outside the White House, responding to questions about the UK's decision to halt intelligence sharing on boats in the Caribbean Sea. The UK government is reportedly concerned that recent deadly US strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats may be illegal. Homan conceded the issue was "out of my lane" but did not hold back, stating, "I don't think the UK is a friend to this country and friend to the President."
This diplomatic spat coincides with a period of unusual seclusion for the President. Donald Trump has no public events scheduled and has avoided unscripted public remarks for several days, aside from a flurry of posts on his Truth Social platform. He is set to jet off to Florida for the weekend, seemingly in retreat after Congress dealt him a double blow by releasing the Epstein emails and passing a petition to release even more.
Trump's Unhinged Response to the Epstein Scandal
The President's public reaction to the Epstein file release has been a mixture of panic and deflection. Initially, he limited his response to social media posts accusing Democrats of using the scandal to distract from the end of the government shutdown. His behaviour became more erratic, however, as he abruptly ended an Oval Office press spray without taking questions and held an event in the East Room to facilitate a swift exit from journalists.
His rhetoric escalated significantly, with a Truth Social post announcing he would order an investigation into individuals named in the files—conveniently omitting himself. "I will be asking A.G. Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein's involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions," he declared, labelling the affair a "Hoax" and a "Russia, Russia, Russia Scam."
Behind the scenes, the White House scramble has been even more frantic. Reports indicate Trump personally contacted Republican members of the House, urging them to withdraw support for the petition to release more files. In a highly unusual move, Republican Representative Lauren Boebert was summoned to a meeting in the White House Situation Room—a venue typically reserved for national security crises—with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel to discuss her support for the release.
Fallout, Backlash, and What Comes Next
The political drama extends beyond the Epstein files. The White House is also entangled in a row with the BBC over a Panorama programme, which the corporation has apologised for but is unlikely to pay damages. Furthermore, Trump's administration faces criticism from an unexpected quarter: senior Catholic bishops in the US, reportedly urged on by the Pope, released a video condemning the "inhumane" ICE immigration raids.
Adding to the administration's controversial statements, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt went on Fox News to claim that climate change is "based on a fallacy," a position at odds with the overwhelming scientific consensus.
As for the future of the Epstein files, the battle is not over. While the petition is likely to pass a House vote, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Ultimately, it could land on the President's desk, forcing him into a difficult decision: sign it, veto it, or let it languish, any choice inviting accusations of a cover-up and ensuring the scandal continues to dominate the headlines.
