9.11.25
President Donald Trump is finding that the scandal surrounding his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein is refusing to fade. This week, Jeffrey Epstein's name came back to the fore with the release of a birthday note allegedly sent by Trump to the disgraced financier, published by The Wall Street Journal. Trump's authorship of the note - scrawled inside the sketched outline of a woman's body - was immediately disputed by the White House. But for a growing number of Americans—including many in Trump's own base—the issue is anything but over. Trump's association with Jeffrey Epstein dates back to the early 1990s, when both men moved in the same social and business circles in Palm Beach, Florida, and New York City. Photographs from the period show them together at parties, and Trump even noted Epstein's taste for younger women. In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump described Epstein as a "terrific guy" who "likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side." Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls. Epstein died a month later, ruled a suicide in federal custody (Trump was the President).
On the Lex Fridman Podcast, he said he would have "no problem" making Epstein's files public. But after reclaiming the White House in January 2025, Trump reversed course. By mid-summer, he dismissed the renewed interest in Epstein as "boring" and spoke of a "hoax." In July 2025, he ruled out the appointment of a special prosecutor to reexamine Epstein's death or alleged client list, saying he would not recommend pursuing the matter further. Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, told Newsweek that the Epstein story persists because it is potentially damaging to Trump, and his refusal to release files—combined with pressure from both parties and media attention—keeps it alive. The August poll by The Conversation showed that seven in 10 Americans believe Trump is handling the Epstein matter "not well." Crucially, it found 47% of 2024 Trump voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the controversy. Costas Panagopoulos, a political scientist at Northeastern University, told Newsweek that "Trump fanned the flames of conspiracy with his base during the campaign, and now these voters expect him to deliver. Failure to do so raises concerns about a cover-up and reminds Trump supporters that the president only exploited this issue to win votes."