Senior advisors to former President Donald Trump are reportedly concerned that the impending release of the Jeffrey Epstein files will fail to dampen public fascination with the long-running scandal, according to a new Politico report.
Political Reversal on Epstein Documents
The development comes as the US House of Representatives prepares for a crucial vote, potentially as early as Tuesday, on legislation that would compel the Justice Department to disclose its records concerning the deceased sex offender. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated the vote's imminence.
This legislative push follows months of Republican resistance to releasing the files. However, in a significant shift, Trump himself urged GOP lawmakers to advance the bill on Sunday via his Truth Social platform. He stated, "We have nothing to hide…And it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax."
According to a White House aide who spoke with Politico, this reversal stemmed from Trump's recognition that the vote was an "inevitable reality," with or without his support. The vote was triggered by a House discharge petition that gained traction with Republican backing.
White House Anxiety and Public Perception
Within Trump's circle, there is palpable anxiety. One unnamed White House official expressed frustration to the outlet, questioning, "Are people ever going to be satisfied? No, because people in this country genuinely believe that the federal government is in possession of a list of pedophiles who work with Jeffrey Epstein. And that is just not true."
The official labelled the idea of a suppressed, incriminating list as a "fallacy." This echoes a conclusion reached by the DOJ and FBI in July, which asserted that no such client list ever existed. Despite this, the belief persists, fuelled in part by comments from figures like Elon Musk, who suggested powerful forces wanted the list suppressed.
The current political strategy, as revealed to Politico, is to "give Republicans a perceived win" by allowing them to tell constituents they voted for transparency. With Trump's endorsement, the bill is expected to pass both congressional chambers, and the president has committed to signing it.
Unveiled Documents and Ongoing Fallout
This political manoeuvring occurs against a backdrop of already released evidence. Last week, the House Oversight Committee made public a trove of 20,000 documents from Epstein’s private estate. Among them were emails from Epstein containing allegations about Trump.
Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining he cut ties with Epstein years ago. A White House spokesperson previously told The Independent that the emails "prove literally nothing." On Monday, Trump told reporters, "We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats."
Nevertheless, the report indicates that Trump remains embittered, feeling his party has "essentially laid a trap he cannot avoid." A person close to the White House summarised the president's stance: "POTUS doesn’t like to be told what to do or give Dems a win, so he’s been fighting it." Despite the planned release, his advisors fear public intrigue in the Epstein scandal is far from over.
