Trump's Fury Over Epstein Email Release
Former President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on what he called 'Weak Republicans' amid the escalating fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein email scandal. The outburst came just hours after the White House attempted to soften his public image by releasing footage of him entertaining young children in the Oval Office.
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee this week published 23,000 pages of emails from the deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein, which included correspondence where the convicted sex offender claimed to possess compromising information about 'dirty Donald.'
Trump responded vehemently on his Truth Social platform, writing: 'The Democrats are doing everything in their withering power to push the Epstein Hoax again, despite the DOJ releasing 50,000 pages of documents.'
He specifically targeted members of his own party, stating: 'Some Weak Republicans have fallen into their clutches because they are soft and foolish. Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat's problem, not the Republican's problem!'
White House Counters With Heartwarming Footage
Amid the political storm, the White House deployed a carefully orchestrated public relations move, releasing an adorable video showing Trump interacting with young children in the Oval Office. The clip, which has since garnered over 500,000 views on X, depicts a tender moment where the president offers gifts to the grandchildren of journalist Salena Zito.
In the footage, Trump can be seen introducing himself to a young boy as 'Donald' while handing out gold coins and presidential pens. 'She said yes — she's smart,' Trump remarks with a laugh after one child accepts his offer, adding 'She's so cute.'
The video, posted by White House communications adviser Margo Martin, provides a stark contrast to the serious allegations emerging from the Epstein document release. White House officials told reporters the children had simply stopped by the Oval Office to say hello to the president.
Contradictory Claims and Political Fallout
The released emails reveal Epstein told associates that one of his victims, Virginia Giuffre, had 'spent hours' alone with Trump. However, this claim is complicated by Giuffre's own statements before her death in April, where she explicitly cleared Trump of any wrongdoing.
Giuffre, who was recruited by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell while working as a spa attendant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in 2000 when she was just 16 years old, stated that Trump 'couldn't have been friendlier' to her during their limited interactions and was not involved in any misconduct.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt condemned the email release as a politically motivated 'smear' campaign, emphasizing that Trump had actually expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago around October 2007 'for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre.'
Democrats on the committee have been accused of selectively leaking emails that reference Trump in correspondence between Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and author Michael Wolff spanning at least eight years. The House Oversight Committee obtained the emails through a subpoena of Epstein's estate, creating fresh political headaches for the Trump administration as it attempts to navigate the ongoing controversy.
